Courtney Brown

The DBEDT just recently released August economic and tourism data for Maui.

Visitor arrivals decreased nearly 21% when compared with August, 2007. The largest decreases were in Mainland US visitors, though there was a decrease in visitors from Japan and Canada. Compared with July, total visitors decreased just 3%.

The total length of say was almost flat as compared with July, but did increase slightly. Visitor days show a year to date decline of approximately 39%, and a decline of 17% when compared with August, 2007.

The total visitor expenditures increased 11% for the month, but were down 16% as compared to this time last year.

A decline in tourism has been accompanied by an slight increase in unemployment, a decrease in the real estate resale volume, and a drecrease in the total value of building permits compared with August, 2007.

The Kapalua Adventures Cafe will be hosting "A Taste of Spain" tonight. Wines of Spain will be featured along with a variety of gourmet tapas. Don't miss this fun event, which will be held from 5:30-7:30 pm . Tickets are available at 808-665-3486, 2000 Village Road, Lahaina, HI 96761.

Just a note to follow up: I had the opportunity to attend this event. It was very enjoyable--the Cafe did an incredbile job with the tapas. I spoke with the manager, and they plan to host a similar event quarterly.

Did you know that the summit of Puu Kukui in the West Maui mountains is one of the wettest on earth? While Lahaina may receive less than 15 inches a year, the summit will receive close to 370! Hawaii is home to over 10,000 native species, 90% of which are found only in our islands. The West Maui Moutains are home to over 125 of these rare native plants, birds, insects and more.

I highly recommend that anyone interested in Maui and its natural resources take the time to visit the West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership website, www.westmauiwatershed.org

The website offers information the partnership of state and private land owners, who collectively manage the over 50,000 acres which provide 80% of the island's water. More importantly, there is fantastic insight into the rare ecosystems and geologic wonders that are unique to our island home.

In addition to volunteer opportunities, recommendations for native plants for your own landscaping use, and facts about how the watershed works, are spectacular pictures of the flora and fauna of the West Maui Mountains. I hope you'll take a moment to visit.

This blog entry was originally posted on my website on August 26, 2008, but I wanted to share it with those interested in the islands.

It's something I see every day as I drive down Office Road, the main entry to the Kapalua Resort. The Kapalua Resort's trademark Butterfly logo, a maroon butterfly with a pineapple in the center. This logo has earned the reputation as a hallmark for luxury and preservation. It symbolizes the metamorphosis of the pineapple plantation to the the carefully planned resort community that it is today.

For those looking for a tropical residence, Hawaii offers advantages over non-US options, with stable systems of government and property ownership, high standards of medical care, and currency considerations.

I have long favored Maui, not just because this is where I was born. I've always appreciated it's diverse geography--in just one day, you can see in the rainforest of Hana, or the desert of Makena, the green pastures of Ulupalakua and the Upcountry areas, visit a small seaside town like Pai'a, or the vast crater of Haleakala. We have an abundance of shops and restaurants, without the big city stressors of Honolulu, and of course, we have some of the best beaches and golf courses in the world.

Many people come to Maui looking for a second home or primary residence, and there are a variety of communities to choose from. Recently, the question was posed, "Why Kapalua?"

Kapalua is a unique resort community. Just one developer, the Kapalua Land Company (owned by Maui Land and Pineapple) has guided it's development. As such, as an owner here, you are truly part of an integrated recreational community. Everything that is built and remodeled follows the design guidelines of the Kapalua Resort Association, which lends itself toward low-density, visually low-impact buildings throughout the 23,000 acres that we call home.

Here are some defining characteristics of the Kapalua Resort:

• The Kapalua Resort is 23,000 acres, with only 11% to be developed. The rest of this vast acreage is open space, agriculture, and nature preserves.
• The resort stretches from Mauka (upland, or to the Mountains) to Makai (oceanside).
• Both Kapalua Bay and D. T. Flemming (Stables) Beach have been awarded "America's Best Beach" by Dr. Beach.
• Kapalua is host to two major golf tournaments: the Mercedes-Benz Championship played each January at the Plantation Course and the Kapalua LPGA Classic, which will take place this October, 2008 at the Bay Course. These tournaments have helped to raise nearly $3,000,000 for Kapalua Maui Charities, which support members of our local community.
• The Kapalua Resort hosts annual national events, such as the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival, and the Billabong Pro-Maui Women's surf contest.
• Kapalua Resort is remote, but not removed. We are just a short drive to Lahaina and Kaanapali.
• Owners in Kapalua may join the Kapalua Club, which provides an array of activities for owners to get to know each other and the community they call home.
• The Kapalua Resort is undergoing a $500 million transformation that has included the renovation of the flagship Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, the building of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Kapalua Bay, the renovation of the Honolua Store, the opening of Merriman's Kapalua, the new Kapalua Spa, an extensive oceanfront and mountainside trail system, a new Mountain Adventure Center, and Signature Experiences.
• The Kapalua Resort is committed to it's Sense of Place and the preservation of our culture and natural resources. We are home to the Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve, dedicated as a perpetual easement to the Nature Conservancy. At 8300 acres, this is the largest private preserve in Hawaii, and is home to many rare native species of plants and animals.
• Kapalua Farms and the Farmers market has brought organic produce to our small community and our local restaurants.
• The Kapalua Resort has a variety of real estate options, neighborhoods, and price points.

The Kapalua Resort is so much more than a vacation destination. For those of us who are lucky enough to live and work here, it is a place unlike no other. The Kapalua Resort combines all of these essential elements into one community: history, culture, natural beauty, and a commitment to preservation.