Maui Visitors Bureau

Maui Visitors Bureau
Name	Maui Visitors Bureau
Type	Nonprofit tourism organization
Headquarters	Kahului, Maui
Region served	Maui County, Hawaiʻi
Leader title	President & CEO

Maui Visitors Bureau The Maui Visitors Bureau is a destination marketing organization serving Maui County, including Kahului, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Hana, and Kīhei. It works with stakeholders from Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, County of Maui, Hawaiian Airlines, Aloha Airlines and private partners such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Hilton Worldwide to promote travel to Hawaii (island), Oahu, Kauaʻi and Pacific markets like Japan, Canada, Australia.

History

Founded in the wake of postwar tourism expansion, the organization emerged amid efforts by entities including Hawaiian Airlines, Matson, Inc., Alexander & Baldwin, Territorial Legislature of Hawaii and early chambers such as the Maui Chamber of Commerce. During the 1960s and 1970s it coordinated with institutions like United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Haleakalā National Park, and visitor bureaus on Oʻahu to develop visitor infrastructure influenced by projects such as the Hōkūlea voyaging revival and the construction of Kahului Airport. In later decades it adapted to global trends driven by carriers such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and tourism studies from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Hawaiʻi Pacific University. Post-2000 initiatives reflected collaborations with Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Maui County Council, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy and Sierra Club to balance development with resources including Haleakalā, West Maui Mountains, and cultural sites such as ʻIao Valley State Monument.

Organization and Governance

The bureau operates as a nonprofit entity governed by a board with representatives from major stakeholders including Maui County Council, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, major hoteliers like The Ritz-Carlton, Fairmont Hotels, and transportation providers such as Hawaiian Airlines and Carnival Corporation & plc. Executive leadership liaises with regulatory and planning bodies including Office of Hawaiian Affairs, State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for permits related to resources like Molokaʻi Forest Reserve. Governance practices reference models used by destination marketing organizations such as Visit California, New York City Tourism + Conventions, and VisitBritain.

Services and Programs

The bureau provides visitor information services at locations including Kahului Airport, Lahaina Harbor, and visitor centers near Haleakalā National Park, partnering with carriers like Alaska Airlines and tour operators such as Polynesian Voyaging Society and Pacific Whale Foundation. It runs training programs for hospitality staff used by brands including Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, and smaller operations like Kaanapali Beach Hotel, with curriculum drawing on research from University of Hawaiʻi Maui College and certification standards similar to Cruise Lines International Association. The bureau administers grants and marketing co-op programs with destination businesses, collaborates with cultural institutions like Maui Arts & Cultural Center and historical groups such as the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum, and supports events including Maui Film Festival, Hawaiian Airlines Haleakalā Sunrise Program, and Merrie Monarch Festival through visitor services.

Marketing and Partnerships

Marketing campaigns target key source markets including Japan, Canada, United States, Australia, and Germany using partnerships with airlines such as Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, Air Canada, and with global hospitality brands like Marriott International and Accor. The bureau leverages relationships with media outlets including Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, and platforms like Expedia Group and Airbnb, Inc. for digital campaigns, while collaborating on sustainability messaging with nonprofits such as Surfrider Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. Co-operative initiatives align with state-level promotion by Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and regional networks including Pacific Asia Travel Association.

Economic and Environmental Impact

The bureau influences visitor flows that affect sectors including hospitality properties like The Westin Maui Resort & Spa and attractions such as Road to Hāna, Haleakalā Crater, and marine operations represented by Pacific Whale Foundation. Its promotion contributes to revenue streams tracked by Hawaii Tourism Authority and tax receipts overseen by Department of Taxation (Hawaii), while creating demand for labor studied by University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization and workforce programs through Hawaii Workforce Development Council. Environmental impacts intersect with conservation efforts at Haleakalā National Park, reef protection managed with NOAA Fisheries, and land-use debates involving State Land Use Commission and Maui County Planning Commission regarding zones like Lahaina Historic District and agricultural zones formerly dominated by Alexander & Baldwin sugar operations.

Controversies and Legal Issues

The bureau has been implicated in debates over overtourism and resource management shared with entities such as Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Maui County Council, and advocacy groups like Save Honolua Coalition and Malama Maui Nui. Legal and political disputes have arisen concerning permitting, destination marketing expenditures, and beach access involving agencies including Department of Land and Natural Resources and litigants referencing precedents from cases tied to Public Trust Doctrine interpretations handled in courts such as the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court and United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. Controversies also intersect with debates on airline service decisions involving Hawaiian Airlines and labor issues reflected in negotiations similar to those seen with unions like UNITE HERE.

Category:Organizations based in Maui County, Hawaii