HONOLULU — The area around the Maui town largely destroyed by wildfire two months ago began welcoming back travelers on Sunday after the mayor and Hawaii’s governor pushed ahead to restart tourism to boost the economy despite opposition from some Lahaina residents.
Five hotels in West Maui were accepting reservations again, according to their websites and the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association. In addition, eight timeshare properties — in which visitors have an ownership stake in their room — were opening across the region early this month, including some a few miles from the devastation.
The reopening fell on the two-month anniversary of the wildfire that killed at least 98 people and destroyed more than 2,000 structures, many of them homes and apartments.
Ilihia Gionson with the Hawaii tourism Authority said Sunday that a huge influx of visitors was not expected based on conversations with hotels. Precise figures for how many travelers were returning to the area’s…
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