Aloha Chair Rawlins-Fernandez, Vice-Chair Paltin and Members of the Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee,
Please see attached testimony.
Mahalo,
Pamela Tumpap, President
Maui Chamber of Commerce
Dear Chair Rawlins-Fernandez and Members of the Committee,
The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association (MHLA) is the legislative arm of the visitor industry. Our membership includes 171 property and allied business members in Maui County – all of whom have an interest in the visitor industry. Collectively, MHLA’s membership employs more than 25,000 residents and represents more than 19,000 rooms. The visitor industry is the economic driver for Maui County and its largest employer for local residents.
Regarding the proposal for a Temporary Investigative Group of the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee.
The MHLA presents the following comments for the TIG:
1. We already have those numbers referred to in section 1a. According to the 2020 Census Maui County’s population is 152,062, and one third of that number is 50,687. The daily average visitor’s count as of May 2021 is 58,412 visitors per day on Maui. Therefore, the reduction that will get the ratio down to levels set by the Maui Island Plan is 7725 less visitors a day.
2. The MHLA officially requests to be one of the groups that TIG members consult with as noted in 2c.
3. The TIG should take into account that currently not all international destinations are available for travel, and that a portion of this summer’s influx of travelers to Maui are here because of that. It would be advisable for this TIG to hold off on any conclusions regarding visitor impacts until international travel can resume and we can take another look at our tourism numbers then, when they are less artificially inflated.
Aloha Chair Rawlins-Fernandez, Vice-Chair Paltin and Members of the Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee,
Please see attached testimony.
Mahalo,
Pamela Tumpap, President
Maui Chamber of Commerce
Dear Chair Rawlins-Fernandez and Members of the Committee,
The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association (MHLA) is the legislative arm of the visitor industry. Our membership includes 171 property and allied business members in Maui County – all of whom have an interest in the visitor industry. Collectively, MHLA’s membership employs more than 25,000 residents and represents more than 19,000 rooms. The visitor industry is the economic driver for Maui County and its largest employer for local residents.
Regarding the proposal for a Temporary Investigative Group of the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee.
The MHLA presents the following comments for the TIG:
1. We already have those numbers referred to in section 1a. According to the 2020 Census Maui County’s population is 152,062, and one third of that number is 50,687. The daily average visitor’s count as of May 2021 is 58,412 visitors per day on Maui. Therefore, the reduction that will get the ratio down to levels set by the Maui Island Plan is 7725 less visitors a day.
2. The MHLA officially requests to be one of the groups that TIG members consult with as noted in 2c.
3. The TIG should take into account that currently not all international destinations are available for travel, and that a portion of this summer’s influx of travelers to Maui are here because of that. It would be advisable for this TIG to hold off on any conclusions regarding visitor impacts until international travel can resume and we can take another look at our tourism numbers then, when they are less artificially inflated.
Mahalo for your time,
Rod Antone
Maui Hotel & Lodging Association
My testimony for BFED-45 is attached