Hawaii Plans Two-Thirds Visitor Cut to Protect Maui Bay Reefs

Honolua Bay in Maui, a site of cultural and environmental significance, is facing severe degradation due to over-tourism and inadequate management, with coral cover plummeting from 43% to 8% between 1994 and 2025. The Save Honolua Coalition has proposed a plan to reduce visitor numbers by two-thirds to protect the reef and restore traditional practices, emphasizing the need for urgent state action as current management plans have stalled. Despite a slight decline in visitor arrivals to Hawaii in September 2025, tourism revenue has increased due to higher daily spending, although rising operational costs are squeezing profitability for local businesses. Visitor arrivals in Hawaii dropped by 2.5% compared to the previous year, with air and cruise arrivals both decreasing, yet spending rose by 8.1% year-over-year to $1.54 billion. Challenges persist with increased costs affecting hotel profits and a slight reduction in air travel capacity, reflecting a broader trend of price sensitivity among travelers nationally. The situation at Honolua Bay underscores the tension between tourism growth and environmental and cultural preservation, prompting calls for stronger regulations and sustainable management.