Governor Josh Green has allocated $6.3 million to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) for a tourism recovery campaign. This initiative aims to address the ongoing economic impacts from the August 2023 Maui wildfires and the anticipated downturn due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. The funds were released following a request from DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka.
The campaign is part of Hawaii's ongoing efforts to recover economically from the Maui wildfires and manage potential impacts on tourism from California, which is a significant source market for visitors. Governor Green and Director Tokioka engaged with members of the Hawai‘i Hotel Owners and Operators Roundtable and Hawai‘i Hotel Alliance to gather industry input.
“I want to acknowledge the leadership of the Hawai‘i Hotel Owners and Operators Roundtable and Hawai‘i Hotel Alliance who discussed this idea with DBEDT Director Tokioka and I to provide resources to support the state’s tourism recovery,” said Governor Green.
DBEDT Director Tokioka noted, “We are all aware of the sustained effects of the Maui wildfires on our state’s tourism industry and the continued slump in West Maui hotel occupancies. As we also foresee that visitor arrivals will be impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires, the tourism recovery campaign is intended to drive the visitor traffic needed to sustain local businesses and support jobs. We look forward to working on the next steps with our industry partners.”
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism serves as Hawaii's resource center for economic data, business development opportunities, energy conservation information, as well as foreign trade advantages. Its mission is focused on fostering an innovative economy that provides opportunities for all citizens through planned community development, affordable workforce housing, and promoting job growth in innovation sectors.