Area largely destroyed in Maui wildfire to start welcoming tourists back

Many local residents have objected to resuming tourism in West Maui, which includes Lahaina town and a stretch of coastline to the north

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is set to reopen on Sunday (Picture: Mengshin Lin/AP/PA)

The area around the Maui town largely destroyed by wildfire two months ago was scheduled to welcome back tourists on Sunday as Hawaii’s governor pushed ahead to kick-start the economy despite opposition from some local residents.

Five hotels in West Maui were accepting reservations again, according to their websites and the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association.