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FROM PAGE ONE
MAUI
Continued from A1
from 1.8 million in 2009 to
2.9 million in 2018, a 54%
gain that was the largest in-
crease on any island.
In 2019, Maui visitor arriv-
als rose more than 5% to
3.1 million and spending
increased more than 2%
to $5 billion.
Then tourism statewide
hit a pause in March.
By April, it had come to
a screeching halt.
Dependent on tourism
The collapse has been a
stark reminder that Maui’s
dependence on tourism,
which Mayor Mike Victorino
estimates supplies approxi-
mately one in three jobs,
comes with a price.
“We may be more depen-
dent because we never re-
ally looked at, first of all, the
military. We built our econ-
omy on agriculture and hos-
pitality industry, which is
bar none the most lucrative
economic base that people
could see,” Victorino said.
“Now we need to look at
what other types of occupa-
tions or businesses that we
can start that are not di-
rectly tied into the tourists.”
A breakdown of nearly
150,000 initial unemploy-
ment claims filed with the
state Department of Labor
and Industrial Relations
showed that four Maui ZIP
codes were among the 10 ar-
eas statewide with the high-
est portion of claims
through mid-March. Not sur-
prising, on Maui, most of the
unemployed lived in popula-
tion centers and tourism hot
spots such as Lahaina,
Kaanapali, Kapalua, Kihei,
Paia, Wailea-Makena and
Kahului.
Victorino said he expects
tourism will remain Maui’s
top economic draw. But
even before the COVID-19
pandemic, he said, efforts
were underway to create
more jobs that weren’t so
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for Ige to pick a date to re-
APRIL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, AUWE! TOURISM DEPENDENCE HURTS
A breakdown of nearly 150,000 initial unemployment open tourism. The governor
Maui County depends on tourism more than any other
claims by the state Department of Labor and Industrial said Monday that he might
county in Hawaii. That’s likely why it moved into the
Relations showed that four Maui ZIP codes were among make an announcement this
state’s top spot for unemployment* in April and was
the 10 with the highest number of claims in the tally week about a future date to
about two and a half times as high as the U.S.’s rate.
statewide. The data, which included only a portion of reopen tourism on a broader
At the same time last year, when tourism was firing on all
claims filed since mid-March, indicates where people scale. While some in the in-
cylinders, Maui was tied with Honolulu for the lowest rate.
who filed the claims lived. dustry have speculated Ige
APRIL 2020 MARCH 2020 APRIL 2019 could lift the trans-Pacific
State 14.4% 2.3% 2.6% 96761 96732 96779 quarantine as early as July
Maui County 35% 2.2% 2.5% Lahaina Kahului Paia 15, others have said that
Kaanapali Ah Fong Village Spreckelsville date could be pushed back
Maui island 36.1% 2.1% 2.5% due to caution over how the
Kapalua 30.4% 39.7%
Molokai 12 % 2.7% 4.8% Napili-Honokowai racism-inspired rioting
Lanai 5.5% 2.6% 1.2% Olowalu across the U.S. could impact
Kauai 34.4% 2.3% 2.6% Launiupoko the spread of COVID-19.
Honolulu 20% 2.1% 2.5% 54.7% The delay is dragging
down the economy state-
U.S. 14.4 % 4.5% 3.3%
96753 wide, but perhaps nowhere
*Rates not seasonally adjusted Kihei near as much as on Maui.
Source: BLS STAR-ADVERTISER
Maalaea That’s part of the reason the
Wailea-Makena approach of ILWU, which
dependent on the visitor in- land and I would feel much Makena represents most of Maui’s
dustry. more secure if there’s some 36.9% union hotels, has been coop-
“We realized
TOURISM we were de-
DEPENDENCE kind
HURTSof vaccine to prevent erative compared to Local 5.
pendent
A breakdown and that our natu-
of nearly theinitial
150,000 spread of COVID-19,” he
unemployment Donna Domingo, ILWU
ral resources
claims by thewere
statereally
Department said. “It’s soand
of Labor many variables
Industrial Source: UHERO STAR-ADVERTISER Local 142 president, said
being taxedshowed
Relations way over capac-
that rightZIP
four Maui now; there’s
codes werepromise
among via email, “We appreciate
ity,”
the 10he with
said. the
“This pandemic
highest out
number ofthere
claims of different medi-
in the tally export industries that have to justify reopening once the the HLTA for reaching out to
forced
statewide.our hand.” cal treatments
The data, which included or testing.
only a portion of It’s already been successful, interisland quarantine is us to figure out how we can
Building
claims filedaffordable hous- aindicates
since mid-March, wait-and-see
whereattitude;
people let’s such as film and TV produc- lifted or a travel bubble is all work together to safely
ing,
whonurturing
filed the online
claimssales
lived.of see what happens. tion, and looking for ways to formed with Japan, which reopen our tourism indus-
homegrown products, as “Will it take months? Will get them restarted. supplies a very small por- try.”
96761
well as turning abandoned 96732 it take a year 96779or two? I don’t “Hawaii’s low track record tion of Maui’s visitor arriv- Domingo said the ILWU
Lahaina
sugar Kahului know. But at this
cane land into agricul- Paiapoint I with COVID-19 should be als, he said. will continue to work with
tural lots to grow foodAh
Kaanapali andFong want
Village
to makeSpreckelsville
sure that very appealing to these in- HLTA wants the deci- the HLTA and the hotels that
Kapaluaare some of the
flowers op-
30.4% whatever we 39.7%do, that we do dustries,” he said. “Even sion-makers to know the in- employ its members to en-
Napili-Honokowai
portunities Victorino ex- it safely and we protect the right now, I think there could dustry is ready with sure health and safety are
Olowalu
pects could materialize over residents of Hawaii and be a number of productions protocols, which even in the prioritized. Among the prior-
Launiupoko
the next few years. Maui County.” willing to come here. If they absence of testing make ex- ities are making sure work-
But tourism isn’t gone for
54.7% are coming for three posure to COVID-19 unlikely. ers have the necessary
good, he said. The mayor Road to reopening months, doing a 14-day “We’ve worked with the personal protective equip-
96753 Gov. David Ige’s
supports Sumner La Croix, Univer- quarantine wouldn’t be that state Department of Health ment, she said.
Kiheito reopen interisland
plan sity of Hawaii Economic Re- bad and perhaps we could and ILWU Local 142 to come “Workers are not dispos-
Maalaea
travel June 16. search Organization negotiate other arrange- up with public health and able, and it is the workers
Wailea-Makena
He also favors the con- research fellow, said there’s ments with them. ” safety guidelines to ensure that are on the front lines
Makena
cept of forming a “travel no immediate substitute for La Croix said he also be- workers, guests and the getting exposed to a virus
bubble”
36.9% with Japan, an all the tourism jobs that lieves that if Hawaii wants to community are safe,” HLTA that has unfortunately taken
agreement that would likely have been lost on Maui or reopen tourism more President and CEO Mufi the lives of over 100,000
allow incoming visitors from those that won’t return right broadly, a COVID-19 nasal Hannemann said. Americans,” Domingo said.
Japan who
Source: UHERO have met certain away. STAR-ADVERTISER swab testing program for Unite Here Local 5, which “The threat is real, and these
safety thresholds to bypass “I don’t see diversification visitors could be mounted in controls most of the union workers have families, they
Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day as the solution to short-run six to 10 weeks if the state hotels on Oahu, found fault have children, they have
self-quarantine for trans- Pa- problems,” La Croix said. and its tourism partners de- with the plan and held a husbands and wives and
cific passengers. The reason “We, all of the sudden, won’t sired to make it happen. car caravan in Waikiki on friends who care deeply
the idea is being proposed is see new agricultural ven- Jokovich, who is a Hawaii May 27. The protesting hotel about them. I think it is time
that Japan, like Hawaii, has tures starting over the next Lodging & Tourism Associa- workers said they didn’t that businesses also care
had a low rate of COVID-19 six months or a rush of tech tion board member as well want the state, in a rush to about them.”
cases and deaths. companies to start up — as hotelier, said only Ige, the restart tourism, to fail to Domingo said the ILWU
As for reopening to those are things that we four county mayors, and protect the public from a also recognizes that Hawaii’s
trans-Pacific travelers, Vic- need to be thinking about in their circles have the au- second wave of COVID-19 economy has taken a gigan-
torino’s approach is more the medium to long run.” thority to reopen tourism cases. tic hit.
cautious. La Croix said Maui and broadly. In the meantime, Local 5’s hesitation comes “We have reached historic
“I would like them tested other places in Hawaii might not all properties on Maui as members of Hawaii’s visi- unemployment levels with
before they come into the is- have more success taking will have enough business tor industry are clamoring very little relief in sight.”
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