Fragile paradise

by Mansel G. Blackford

"From its modest beginnings in the prewar era, tourism has become the most important segment of Maui's economy since the 1970s. But as Mansel Blackford shows, it is also a devil's bargain. By switching the island's income base from sugarcane to condos, tourism has offered a solution to economic problems but also placed an unanticipated strain on Maui's infrastructure and made unexpected demands of its residents. As roads and sewers now have reached their limits and escalating property values have ousted kamaainas, the growth of the visitor industry has forced the people of Maui to make difficult choices about the future development of their island."--BOOK JACKET.