Fodor came out swinging against 2023 Maui Vacations today. It comes as the island has been inundated with vengeful travel after the pandemic that began last year. At one point, the mayor asked airlines to reduce Maui flights, which he does not have the authority to enforce and the airlines do not intend to do.
This seemingly well-intentioned No-List article aims to make visitors more aware of some of the sites that suffer more than others from overtourism. In addition, she divided the cases into three areas, including “natural attractions that could use a restorative break to heal and rejuvenate; cultural hotspots blighted by overcrowding and resource depletion; and locations around the world immediately and dramatically affected by the water crises.”
Maui suffers from beach erosion, drought, water rights, and more.
Maui has been mentioned as an area affected by water crises for these problems. Some Maui residents have had protection orders to avoid unnecessary water use. However, these were not implemented uniformly, and some of the wealthier areas of southern Maui, for example, had no such restrictions.
Access to fresh water is often a challenge for islanders. In Hawaii, it says, “tourism… represents the largest use of water. One particularly striking case is the island of Maui… Uneven water distribution leads to conflicts between the hospitality industry and domestic users.” —Fodor
He also stated that Native Hawaiians are being affected by the rapidly increasing cost of living, especially housing. Short-term rentals have been cited as being partially responsible for Maui’s homeless problems.
The article says that visitors should do whatever they want; “This year’s list does not amount to boycotts, bans, or cancellations of any kind; rather, it is an invitation to travelers to consider wisely the choices we make.”
Critical Maui beach erosion.
Not mentioned as part of Fodor’s take but worth mentioning is Maui’s critical beach erosion. Last fall, for example, after high tide, trees fell, and the pier collapsed and fell into the ocean at Kaanapali Beach. After 40 years, this area suffers from continuous beach erosion. The country recently discovered that the intensity of erosion has increased with sea level rise and record high water levels, which will only get worse from here.
The impact of climate change has pushed the coastline to the site of hotels and condos.
Now is literally the time when price is more affordable and easier for us to get involved in a managed pullback. Finding out is a problem, but we are not the only community in the world that has this problem. Literally, every coastal community does. Hawaii Department of Lands and Natural Resources.
The state is making plans to provide more time before making bigger changes in the future. Recently, the state brought about 75,000 cubic yards of sand to that area, which is like a bandage. The state said it would “return sandy coastal habitats that straddle the land/sea border for immediate, short-term remediation.”
Unfortunately, the long-term effects of similar projects on the coasts are temporary. Research from California and Australia on beach “feeding” indicates a negative impact on invertebrate populations in such areas.
We previously said, “Throughout the state, many beachfront properties have used sea walls to hold back waves and extend usable land to the waterline. Such temporary measures are costly, damaging to beaches, and ultimately ineffective. Natural beaches move and change with the seasons and weather, With the sand being naturally replenished by wave action bringing sand to the beach and by natural erosion from the beach itself.”
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