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It is all too easy to take our island home for granted.
When is the last time you pulled over to watch a sunset? How about visiting the summit of Haleakala or Iao Valley? When did you last treat yourself to a Komoda Bakery cream puff or Sam Sato's manju?
We get so caught up in the day-to-day grind we lose touch with why we live here. One proven cure is to play tour guide when family and friends visit. Not only do they get you out to do activities and see the sights, their appreciation for Maui is infectious. You see the beauty of the environment and people through fresh eyes.
According to a Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism report released by the state Thursday, Maui hosted 220,741 visitors in February. The total is nearly the same as February 2019. In that pre-pandemic boom year, Maui County had a record 3 million visitors.
The report predicts a decrease in Mainland arrivals to Hawaii in the coming months, as well as an increase in international visitors, but if the pandemic has taught us anything, it is to never underestimate the desire of travelers to come here. We have risen from a 2020 travel ban to an eyelash away from eclipsing the fevered numbers of 2019. The speed of our tourism industry's rebound must give whiplash to the pundits who predicted COVID-19 would set the industry back years if not decades.
Apart from facing challenges such as labor shortages and skyrocketing costs, business owners have got to be encouraged by the upswing. The other side of the equation is the frustration opponents of overtourism are feeling. The pandemic shutdowns showed us what Maui is like when all the passenger jets stop. Our economy was in the tank, but the beaches, roads and scenic spots were empty playgrounds for residents.
We think back to a Keanae mom we interviewed the day the Road to Hana reopened to nonresident traffic. She said she had loved that her little kids were safe on the narrow road fronting her house. Does she once again have 1,000 cars and vans passing every day?
Tourists stop simply being numbers when you know them. We had several groups of family and friends visit Maui this winter. By all accounts, they enjoyed themselves immensely. Tagging along on hikes, whale watches, golf outings and a memorable paddle out with the Mana'olana Pink Paddlers to spread a dear friend's ashes, we were reminded time and again how special this island is.
Hearing what they paid for accommodations, activities and meals backs up the DBEDT report saying visitors to Maui spent $540 million in February. That's $127 million more than the same number spent in February 2019.
The price of paradise just keeps going up. All the more reason to stop and appreciate how lucky we are to be here.