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Maui wedding and event association asks council for marketing support as industry struggles post‑fires
Summary
A representative of the Maui Wedding and Event Association testified to the committee seeking county support and marketing funding to help rebuild an estimated billion‑dollar island industry that members say has seen steep declines since recent fires.
Lee Anderson, chef‑owner of Sugar Beach Events in Kihei and a board member of the newly formed Maui Wedding and Event Association, asked the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee to consider funding to help revitalize the island’s wedding and events sector.
Nut graf: Anderson said the association represents more than 100 members and thousands of employees in an industry that supplies vendors across hospitality and tourism. He said his business has seen a decline of more than 70 percent in sales and that members have had to reduce staff substantially. The association asked for county help to support marketing outreach, attendance at mainland conferences and to host an on‑island luxury summit.
Anderson described the economic multiplier of events: a single wedding or event, he said, directly supports 10 to 20 local businesses and many more indirectly (hotels, caterers, florists, photographers, entertainers, transport, rental companies and artisans). He said the association has sought assistance from tourism agencies (HTA and others) and met with hospitality stakeholders but that assistance had not translated into sufficient marketing activity to change perception that Maui was ready to welcome visitors.
Committee members questioned the association’s outreach to larger industry players and hotels for financial partnerships; Anderson said the membership is composed largely of small businesses and that larger partners have been approached but the association lacks the internal resources to underwrite broad marketing efforts.
Ending: Anderson said the help requested — which would focus on marketing and industry promotion — would likely produce results over a one‑to‑two‑year booking horizon because event planners often book far in advance. The committee did not vote on any funding and will consider requests during the broader FY26 budget deliberations.
