It’s November 1, and that means Hawaii is officially open and welcoming back its visitors. And on Monday, November 8, the state will join the entire country in welcoming back international visitors. We are expecting an update from Governor Ige, perhaps as soon as today. The next word from the governor will be about how Hawaii will integrate the new US international arrivals plan with its Safe Travels. See: New Hawaii Safe Travels Rules Starting This Week.
Yesterday, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said, “I am happy to see trends continuing downwards, suggesting we are on our way out of the acute phase of the pandemic.” Then today, the state saw the fewest number of new COVID cases in a long time, with 69 new cases reported and no deaths. Ige said last week that the relaxing of restrictions would occur as the average daily number of recent cases statewide of less than 100.
Ige said last week that Hawaii is preparing to reduce Safe Travels restrictions before the New Year. In the meantime, however, Hawaii must have a plan for international arrivals in just one week.
For the time being, the Hawaii Safe Travels protocol will remain in place, including vaccination and testing options, uploading of documents, and completing a health questionnaire before travel.
Changes at Hawaii restaurants are coming first.
We expect relaxing or elimination of the 50% restaurant capacity limitation to occur at any point. Hawaii’s restaurants and customers are hurting. The Hawaii Restaurant Association said, “we have been under the hardest mandates of any state in the United States. And our restaurants are suffering multiple ways.” Maui’s mayor has already asked the governor to return the island’s restaurants to between 75% and 100% capacity. Lt. Gov. Josh Green said, “As long as people can confirm that they’re vaccinated at a restaurant, the risk is very low.”
That could mean that Maui and Oahu rules for proof of vaccination or testing might be implemented statewide, in concert with this change.
Sweeping changes could need to wait out Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
If things continue to improve, we believe the state will relax more rules, including some or all of the Safe Travels protocol and indoor mask mandates. That next set of more widespread changes will not be implemented until after the holidays.
Thanks
Can you please address the status of tours, public transportation, and rental cars on Waikiki (Oahu). How does activities look for 2022.
Thank you.
Hi Ann.
You will need to check on tours and activities as we don’t keep do that. Rental cars on Oahu are as per the post we just updated on car rentals.
Aloha.
Took me nearly two hours to fill out forms on your Not Customer Friendly travel site. I totally applaud safety but this is an interesting way to discourage tourists from coming.
Returning to Kauai,from Manila on November 26 and vaccinated.What else do I need to do to avoid a 10 days quarantine?
Please open things up, especially to those who have all vaccinations
Hello, Jared X
As Hawaiian tourism operators climb up out of the rubble of their industry into the harsh daylight of an economy beset by high inflation, increasing transportation cost, higher taxes, decreasing real wages, and a shortage of workers, let us hope they are not trampled back down by the politicians rushing to the cameras to announce how they saved Hawaii from COVID.
“We need to create a Department of Common Sense.”
– Unknown
So I’m planning on going the 19th thru the 24th. My wife is vaccinated and I e updated her info on the state website. And I already purchased my test thru Costco since it’s one of the accepted forms of testing by the state. After the changes do I still need to test?
I bet if proof of vax to go to a restaurant was lifted that restaurants would be doing better.
I don’t get the reasoning behind the vax/no vax restrictions in restaurants. If the staff are vaccinated, that should be enough. The only people you come into contact without your mask in a restaurant aside from your server, are the people you came with. How does this restriction make sense?? It doesn’t matter because there is no answer that supports this policy.
Waiting for the update! Do you know who will make this announcement?
Governor Ige is currently in Glasgow ( Scotland )
As usual, from day 1 of the pandemic, too little too late from these clowns. The billions of dollars in damages to residents (and their local businesses) have already been done. The ridiculously low and completely arbitrary (i.e. not based on any science whatsoever) threshold of less than 100 new cases per day–statewide–in order to start rolling back restrictions just goes to show how delusional these state officials are. (Hawaii had a pre-pandemic population of around 1.4 million people.)
Rob and Jeff, thank you for your many updates. Hubby and I just returned from a 3-week trip to Kauai. I must say that finding places for lunch became difficult. We found that many restaurants didn’t open until 4:30-5:00 for dinner only. We started packing our lunch when we went out for the day. It’s probably not bad if you live on island and know where to go, but visitors aren’t privy to that information. Kilauea Bakery was a daily stop, and we visited The Right Slice more than once.
Hi Pam.
Thanks. We hope you had a great time. And, it sounds like you were in our hood. Yes lunchtime is tricky now. There are places, but as you said, it takes time to figure that all out and it may not be worth the time when you’re on vacation.
Aloha.
New Hawaii Safe Travels Rules Starting This Week
This is not working 😢
Hi Peter.
Thanks. Link is fixed.
Aloha.
Planning on flying to Hilo December 3rd. I’ve gotten my 2 shots + booster and documentation. Do I still have to register? Please advise. I am a senior citizen. Mahalo
Hi Joyce.
Yes you need to still comply with Hawaii Safe Travels. Upload, and health questionnaire.
Aloha.
Hi Joyce
Right now you just need to go into Hawaii safe travels and fill out your trip info & upload a picture of your vaccination card. 24 hrs before your flight, go back into safe travels and fill out the health questionnaire. When you get to the airport, ask about getting the All Clear wristband so that when you land, you can bypass any further interrogation. Take your Vax card with you on the trip. Aloha
😂 “you can bypass any further interrogation”…Funny, but it may not be in the years to come…🤔
Dear BOH,
The link for New Hawaii Safe Travels Rules Starting This Week is not working. It comes up “not available”. I hope you can get this corrected so we can read this important information.
Thank you for all you do!
Hi Nancy.
Thanks for your many comments. We appreciate you pointing out that error, which is now fixed.
Aloha.
International Travel will allow unvaccinated 18 Years and under to travel, currently the U.S. Is moving to vaccinate those from 5-12 that are citizens, this while Vaccinated and Unvaccinated are both susceptible to getting Covid! The best gauge us still the Test pre-Travel that would show the Traveler is Negative, whereas the Vaccinated, with Card and dates, could very well be Positive and effecting all on his or her flight, and Airports at both ends!
What about unvaccinated people that have had Covid and have proof of antibodies? We should be not be discriminated against because we choose not to take the vaccine and we have proof of antibodies.
Probably should worry more about the Federal mandate that’s coming…no shots, no flights, period…applies to everyone over 16 years old. Either way this news is progress, we were just there in September and heading back in April, geterdone Hawaii, geterdone!!
If you’re not vaxxed then you have to show proof of a negative test within 72 hours of your flight to Hawaii.
Everyone should be subject to testing since everyone vaxxed and unvaxxed spread covid equally.
BOH – Thanks for helping us see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Goldie C I believe that I heard from CDC that vaccination provides a more robust defense against Covid than the natural immunity from having survived it. I think that the effective time and the defense against multiple variants were significant factors.
I believe you need to do more research and check the actual studies that have been done, rather than blindly believing what the CDC says, Dan.
👎
Are unvaccinated people still going to have to be tested before arriving in Hawaii?
Aloha Sherry! According to the article, if you are Still unvaccinated, you’ll have to go through the hassle of being tested. It’s a drag, for sure, but as isolated as Hawaii is, I understand the need for an abundance of caution.
Mahalo to all who are vaccinated.
Per the CDC, it makes no difference if you are vaxx’d or not, you can still get infected and transmit Covid so everyone should “go through the hassle of being tested” …
Crossed 🤞 they do it before we return in February. Now, if only the airlines would do….
Mahalo, BOH!