It is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world and a West Maui landmark. Lahaina’s veil station is one of Veilcorp’s busiest and an architectural marvel. Nearly 5 million tourists pass through the station’s walls every year. According to online reviews, most of them love their experience. Visitors highlight the many amenities offered inside as well as the numerous package deals for day trips and seeing the sites. However, hundreds of those reviews are now being called into question. Lahaina has joined a growing list of municipalities that are accused of paying for fake reviews to increase tourism. Mayor Albert Cravalho says his office is looking into the allegations but denies that the city has “…commissioned any false testimonials or reviews.”
There are many things Veilcorp concierges can help you see or do in Lahaina but two tours have recently grabbed public attention. The Lahaina Shrimp Pools offer tourists a chance to soak in mineral-rich waters while native hand-sized freshwater prawns caress their bodies, exfoliating skin, drawing out toxins, and any stress they might be holding in. Wahikuli’s Hyacinth House is a traditional structure built completely of flowers by a fisherman’s widow while she waited in vain for his return home. One reviewer called the house, “A tribute to indescribable beauty and unfathomable pain.” Both attractions have dozens of 5-star ratings but there’s just one problem. They don’t exist. According to the latest allegations, the city council sought out these fake reviews to increase tourism and secure the Lahaina station as the highest rated in the world.
In a statement, Mayor Cravalho says he has no personal knowledge of the scheme and “highly doubts anyone on the council has solicited fake reviews.” He adds, “We have strict rules and guidelines that we follow in regards to our marketing campaigns as well as our Veilcorp related initiatives that prohibit the sorts of things that the council has been accused of. While I’m confident we’ve done nothing wrong, we have launched a complete investigation to get to the bottom of the allegations and restore the public trust.”
While Veilcorp itself hasn’t been implicated so far, there’s no doubt that the company is feeling pressure over the fake reviews. At a briefing, COO Lisa Hunt told the media that the company does its best to make sure customers have access to accurate information and is looking into the matter internally.
“All of our stations are designed to offer our customers the safest and quickest travel experience available. Our partners have all been vetted to ensure that they are offering the best experience for travelers looking for shopping, a special meal, a relaxing day, or the trip of a lifetime. We take these allegations very seriously and will take swift action if it’s proven that fictitious reviews were commissioned by anyone. We can instantaneously transport people anywhere in the world but as amazing as our technology is, we can’t police the internet. Fake reviews are an unfortunate part of modern life, and we do our best to flag questionable comments with the appropriate social media platforms when we find them. We look forward to the findings of Mayor Cravalho’s investigation and have started our own inquiry into the matter.”
Despite the mayor’s denial and Hunt’s statement, many say there is a thriving review business in Lahaina and the truth isn’t required to cash in. One local man says it’s possible to make a living doing nothing but posting reviews if you’re prolific enough. John Driscol says he’s posted reviews for discounted products, free meals, gift cards, and to pay off parking tickets from the city.
“If you have a device, an internet connection, and thumbs willing to type, you can make it in Lahaina. Just about every business has some sort of discount or gift offer if you post a review. It’s a great way to make a few extra bucks and get a free meal if you’re hungry. I’ll admit that I did leave a review for that flower house thing. It sounded so cool that I thought people would really like it. I even thought about checking it out myself and anyone who knows me knows that I don’t like going anywhere but the beach or the bar. I didn’t go of course but I thought about it. I don’t write a review of anything unless I’ve heard someone else talk about it first so I don’t feel like I’m doing anything wrong.
To be honest, the only time I thought something might not be right was when I was approached by that one guy about posting things about how great the Lahaina veil station was in exchange for paying off some outstanding parking fines. I asked him if that was legal and he said “of course” so I did it. Now there’s all this controversy and they’re saying it’s bad but legal? Like, what does that mean? Are they going to put me in review timeout? All these questions are cutting into my free time. I wish I could remember the name of the guy who asked me to write the reviews so I could get everyone off my back. I’m about 60% sure I’d recognize him if I saw him again but evidently, that’s not good enough. This was supposed to be an easy way to make money without any effort, but it’s turning into a relaxation killer. 1 out of 5 stars. Would not repeat.”
