by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:05 AM ET, Tue June 3, 2025
The Hawai’i Tourism Authority (HTA) is funding a $6 million Maui Emergency Marketing Campaign to accelerate the island’s tourism industry recovery, made possible through statewide support as Maui’s visitor totals remain 21 percent below pre-pandemic levels nearly two years following the devastating wildfires that claimed homes, forests, schools and lives.
Several partners will support the campaign, including the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), Governor Josh Green, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director James Kunane Tokioka and many others.
The campaign will drive travel demand to Maui beginning this summer through the end of the year, with a national wholesaler program with partners ALG Vacations, Classic Vacations, Expedia and others, along with targeted media campaigns for travelers.
“It is indeed a privilege to lead this effort alongside our government partners, the visitor industry, and community voices,” said Dr. Aaron J. Salā, president and CEO at HVCB. “With urgency and clear intention, we are working to deliver meaningful results for Maui's families and local businesses. This campaign is an important initial step in addressing an immediate need. Our larger journey continues—shaping the way we welcome people into relationship with Hawai'i in ways that honor both community and place.”
The HVCB will also highlight its Hawai’i Special Offers Program with cross-brand collaborations with hotels, airlines and Nexstar Media, which will include a “Maui Week” campaign across fifteen markets.
According to FEMA, Maui received nearly $3 billion in direct assistance in the first year following the wildfires. In addition, the Small Business Administration paid over $396 million in federal disaster loans for Hawai’i businesses, nonprofits and residents.
This past May, Hawai’i became the first state in the United States to create a climate change relief fund by increasing hotel and accommodation taxes, directly using tourism dollars to support conservation and climate disaster mitigation efforts.
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