State plans to roll out reservation system at popular Maui bay

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A popular surf and snorkeling spot in West Maui may be added to the list of visitor attractions around the state that could get measures to ease crowding.

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The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is in the process of rolling out a reservation system at Honolua Bay, which appears to have gained many supporters.

“I think they want to be able to control our visitors. And that’s what we want, right?” Maui Hotel and Lodging Association Executive Director John Pele said.

Pele has been a part of the conversations about the plan, which involves having visitors park elsewhere and be shuttled to the popular bay, in addition to requiring reservations.

The system, recently approved by Gov. Josh Green, is listed in the agency’s .

The DMAP also contains tourist management initiatives for other heavily visited areas, including the Road to Hana.

“You know, as an industry, we’ve always talked about the impacts that we’ve been making on our community, on our environment. And we’ve been talking about it for a long time,” Pele added.

The DMAP document said management is needed because of crowding, unsafe stopping on roads and roadside parking.

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The crowds also put a strain on natural and cultural resources.

“We want a responsible industry that works not only for our visitor experience, but we need to make sure that our community and our resident experiences is there as well,” Pele said.

The plan does not specifically list any changes for local residents.

“We want to try to prioritize them (residents), and they’re part of the experience for our visitors,” Pele said. “I’ve already said you can go to a beautiful beach across the world. There’s beautiful beaches everywhere, but there’s nothing like the people that we have and the experience that you’re going to meet with the people of Hawai’i.”

The HTA spent years developing the plan, with the help of state and community partners, including the Save Honolua Coalition and area residents.

The coalition sent Hawaiʻi News Now the following statement:

“Ideally, a parking system would not be the answer. We recognize that managing access through parking does not address the deeper issues surrounding visitation, commercialization, and the protection of Honolua. But in this moment, it may be one of the tools available to help reduce the pressure placed upon this ʻāina while we continue working toward a more pono and culturally grounded approach. Ultimately, we want Honolua to be treated as a place of kapu; a place deserving of restraint, reverence, and respect. There are places in this wahi here the appropriate response is not to invite more people in, but to recognize that the ʻāina itself is asking us to slow down, listen, and protect. As the Save Honolua Coalition, we do not claim ownership over Honolua. We are stewards. We are simply standing in to protect ʻāina, honor our kūpuna, and ensure that the relationship between this place and future generations is not lost to tourism and profit .We ask the media and the public to understand that this is bigger than parking. It is about whether we are willing to recognize Hawaiʻi as a living place with history, ancestry, sacredness, and people who continue to carry kuleana here. Honolua is not for sale. Our culture is not for sale. Our kūpuna are not a tourist attraction.”

Pele added, “We’ve been in discussions for a long time, and now it’s time to make it happen.”

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Officials hope to implement the system in the next fiscal year.