John De Fries, Hawaii Tourism Authority president and CEO, said, “We encourage the community to continue the dialogue with us so we can work together to successfully implement this action plan.”

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau (MVCB) encourage the public to participate in the upcoming Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan community meetings to share their views on tourism’s future direction for Maui, Lanai and Molokai.

John De Fries, HTA president and CEO, said continued input from Maui Nui residents is crucial to ensuring that tourism is meeting their needs and expectations.

“The people of Lanai, Molokai and Maui have been instrumental in shaping the Destination Management Action Plans for their respective island with candid perspectives and thoughtful discussions on how to malama the places and traditions they cherish most,” said De Fries.

The community meeting schedule is: Maui — Tuesday, Nov. 2, 8 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.; Lanai — Tuesday, Nov. 9, 8 to 9:30 a.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.; and Molokai — Friday, Nov. 12, 8 to 9:30 a.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.

In these virtual, interactive community meetings, tourism leaders will provide island updates specific to Maui, Lanai and Molokai in a process that serves as a guide to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism on the three islands. Participants will also have the opportunity to provide comments and ask questions.

The sessions will cover DMAP updates, island specific actions, the Community Enrichment Program, Malama Hawaii Program and visitor statistics.

There are two meeting times available for each island with separate webinar registration links. The meetings for Maui will span two hours, and the meetings for Lanai and Molokai will run an hour-and-a-half.

Registration links and meeting agendas for each island are available at https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/what-we-do/events/.

The presentations will be made via Zoom. Registration is free and open to the public. 


Advance registration is recommended, as capacity is limited. Presentations will be posted to HTA’s website for those who are unable to attend.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority published the 2021-23 Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP) in March 2021.

HTA reported that the plan is part of its strategic vision and continuing efforts to manage tourism in a responsible and regenerative manner.

It was developed by the residents of Maui, Molokai and Lanai, and in partnership with the County of Maui and Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The DMAP serves as a guide to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism on the three islands that make up Maui Nui. It identifies areas of need as well as solutions for enhancing the residents’ quality of life and improving the visitor experience. The community-based plan focuses on key actions that the community, visitor industry and other sectors deem necessary over a three-year period.

The foundation of the Maui DMAP is based on HTA’s 2020-25 Strategic Plan. The actions are based on the four interacting pillars of HTA’s Strategic Plan: Natural Resources, Hawaiian Culture, Community and Brand Marketing.