Eradication of vacation rentals is devastating to tourism and Maui’s economic health.I have witnessed a steep decline in tourism to Maui over the past year or so, which has been devastating to all sectors of the Maui community. What once was a healthy and vibrant economy has rapidly deteriorated, largely due to the irrational, self-serving and unreasonable decision of the Maui County Council and the mayor to eradicate transient vacation rentals (TVRs). These officials have made their opinions and positions very clear—they do not want tourism on Maui. It is their fiduciary duty as public servants to ensure that they act in the best interest of the public good. The survival and the health of all of Hawai‘i’s citizens, in one way or another, are dependent upon tourism. Therefore, it is imperative for all of us, especially public servants, to promote policies which responsibly encourage and enhance it.
While I am not an owner of a TVR, I feel the county’s decision to eradicate or limit TVRs has caused many to lose their jobs, lose their homes, lose their businesses, substantially lowered receipt of tax revenue to Maui County and deterred visitors from coming here. Finally, their decision has caused large events, which would bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars, to take their business elsewhere (the Aloha Classic Windsurfing event and others). This has exacerbated our already weakened tourist climate.
Why hasn’t the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) or the Governor’s Office stepped in to persuade and preclude county officials from following through with their decision to close TVRs (limiting the number to the arbitrary figure of 304 or so), when it is clearly counterproductive to the efforts that the HTA and the state are making to increase tourism? Maui’s officials are sabotaging everyone’s efforts to increase tourism.
Gov. Linda Lingle’s commitment to tourism and her plan to promote and increase tourism by allocating an additional $10 million campaign is a great one; however, it is being trumped right here in our own backyard. It is imperative to immediately stop the extinction or the severe diminution of TVRs on Maui before the hardships become insurmountable and irreversible.