Aerosmith singer and Maui homeowner Steven Tyler urges tourists to return to the island

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith performs during night one of their "Peace Out: The Farewell Tour" on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

PHILADELPHIA — He’s most often associated with Boston, the hometown of his legendary rock band, but Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler has a soft spot in his heart for the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The singer, who has a home on the island, wants vacationers to return to Maui to help the island’s economy — devastated by wildfires last month — recover.

ADVERTISING


Near the end of the opening night of the band’s farewell tour in Philadelphia Saturday, Tyler urged audience members not to be afraid to travel to the island again.

“When you think about Lahaina, think about south Maui,” Tyler told the audience at the Wells Fargo Center shortly before performing the band’s biggest hit, “Dream On.”

“Paia and Hana: it’s still there,” he said, of two other Maui resort towns unscathed by the fires. “It’s a place to go and do, you know, the love thing. It’s still open, it’s still happening.

“Everything’s beautiful, except we gotta come there and make it more beautiful, OK?” he said.

Immediately after the fires obliterated the seaside tourist town of Lahaina, officials including Gov. Josh Green told tourists to stay away during the island’s recovery.

But they soon reversed that advice, realizing how essential tourism is to the island’s economy — and to the prospects of its residents returning to a normal life anytime soon. Tyler’s daughter, Mia, was among those initially discouraging tourists from coming to Maui shortly after the fires.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Star-Advertiser's TERMS OF SERVICE. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. To report comments that you believe do not follow our guidelines, email hawaiiwarriorworld@staradvertiser.com.