Marketing initiative launched in Maui commences
The Clutch $6M Maui Marketing Blitz is Finally Rolling
It's about damned time—four long months after Gov. Josh Green dropped the funds for an emergency Maui marketing campaign, and we're finally getting this show on the road! The funds were meant to help counter the prolonged after-effects of those August 2023 Maui wildfires and the anticipated economic slump coming from the smoldering ruins of Los Angeles, the island's top tourist hotspot.
Green wasn't one to hold back, stripping a restriction from within the State Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's budget to allocate these funds after hoteliers pleaded for continued support to springboard the Maui tourism recovery and bolster Los Angeles.
The concept originally brewed with the Hawai'i Hotel Owners and Operators Roundtable and the Hawai'i Hotel Alliance, who, with DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka, threw the idea of resources to back the industry at Green earlier this year.
The hold-up? Bureaucracy. And, you know, a few hiccups like staff and board leadership changes, procurement, and contracting issues at the Hawai'i Tourism Authority (HTA), which hadn't been part of the original plan.
The campaign, an all-hands-on-deck statewide initiative, kicked off on June 2nd. With Maui's visitor arrivals still 21% below pre-pandemic levels, a pick-up for the peak summer season was already expected.
In a HVCB Budget, Finance and Convention Center meeting on May 21st, DBEDT Director Tokioka voiced his disappointment with the delayed response, stating it could have been avoided if DBEDT had linked up with HVCB directly rather than waiting for HTA to take the reins.
"Hindsight's always 20/20," Tokioka admitted. "Had I known the deal, we would've just sat down with (Director of Finance Luis P. Salaveria) and the Governor and sent this through HVCB."
He continued, "Now it's two or three months later, time from when this emergency funding was supposed to help Maui. Now, we're getting into the busy season. We were trying to patch things up for the slow season."
"That's the reason for my ticked-off tone and frustration," he said. "I don't understand why this took so long."
The tourism industry and Maui-related businesses opined that an earlier start would've yielded greater benefits. Yet, they still see the current campaign, running through the end of the year, as a win—one that'll reinforce local businesses, preserve jobs, and rebuild visitor confidence.
"With a clear and deliberate intent, we're pulling out all the stops to deliver tangible results for Maui's families and local businesses," said Aaron J. Sala, HVCB's president and CEO. "This campaign is just the tip of the iceberg; we're shaping the Maui experience to honor both community and place."
The initiative, in collaboration with HTA, features a vibrant mix of offers from public and private sector partners, such as national travel wholesalers, airlines, Hawaii hotels, and media giants. Jerry Gibson, president of the Hawai'i Hotel Alliance, shared some thoughts:
"This program'll make a huge difference. We really wanted to launch in March or April; then we'd've been primed for summer and would've scored a clean sweep with the festive season."
However, he conceded that the program will help address the ongoing drought at Maui hotels. In April, Maui's overall hotel occupancy was 62.8%, down 3.6 percentage points from the previous year and 16.1 percentage points compared to 2019. The occupancy for upscale markets like Wailea on Maui's south side was 74.2%, down 1.7 percentage points from the previous year and 18.2 percentage points from 2019.
Joshua Hargrove, GM of the Westin Maui Resort &Spa, shared their struggles:
"The August 2023 Maui wildfires slapped us hard. Our overall revenue in 2023 took a 9% nosedive from 2022, as the early part of 2023 was strong. In 2024, we saw our overall revenue dip 24% from 2022, and this year is running about 9% below 2022."
"Last year was rock bottom, and 2025 is the other side of the valley, but still deep within," he said. "July occupancy at my hotel is nothing special for July. Costs are on the rise, so getting back to flat for 2023 means we're losing revenue in terms of profitability."
Hargrove noted that the Maui marketing campaign is destined to prove beneficial, but the impact may not be felt for 60–90 days—say, late August through December.
The campaign includes a nationwide initiative involving travel wholesalers, such as ALG/Apple Vacations, Classic Vacations, Costco Travel, Delta Vacations, Expedia, and Pleasant Holidays, to sell Maui-focused vacation packages via partnerships.
Gibson stated these wholesalers will garner a lot of attention, leading to more visitor bookings. The effort will also encompass targeted media campaigns showcasing Maui in destination marketing initiatives, social media endeavors, and public relations.
HTA is soliciting Maui-focused collaborations with businesses across the state as part of this $6M campaign. Outside the campaign, HVCB is also encouraging its members to beef up its Hawaii Special Offers Program by offering exclusive deals on hotel stays, activity bookings, and ground transportation. Reach out to [email protected] for more info.
Even beyond Maui, the HTA and Los Angeles Rams partnership is projected to boost Hawaii's reach among potential Los Angeles visitors.
HTA will serve as the presenting sponsor for a 2025 Rams home game at SoFi Stadium, in addition to being the presenting sponsor of their offseason content on therams.com and social media channels—including extensive coverage of the Rams' Maui visit.
Through HTA's partnership with the L.A. Rams, Mauicamp will unfold from June 16-19 when the Rams congregate in Maui for their Minicamp. Tickets, though sold out, can be secured through waiting lists at www.808ne.ws/RAMSwaitlist for on-field activities at Wailuku's War Memorial Stadium.
Tickets are free, provided you have one.
During a press conference on May 7 at the Rams' practice facility in Woodland Hills, Calif., Green and Los Angeles Rams President Kevin Demoff announced the alliance between Hawaii and the Rams.
Demoff shared a statement, "Our Rams players will soak up plenty of aloha and hospitality when they set foot on our islands once more. In turn, they'll elevate the local community, which has weathered much since the 2023 Maui wildfires."
Green echoed these sentiments, stating, "In 2019, the Rams graced Aloha Stadium before the largest crowd in history, engaging with our communities, and we've stayed connected ever since. Rams players will return to these warm, welcoming islands, bestowing aloha and uplifting our communities yet again."
The Clutch $6M Maui Marketing Blitz is expected to boost not only the tourism industry but also local sports, as the Los Angeles Rams partnership may attract more potential visitors from Los Angeles.
James Kunane Tokioka, DBEDT Director, expressed hope that this campaign will also benefit the local sports community, as the Rams players are anticipated to influence the community positively, similar to their previous visit in 2019.
