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54 thoughts on “Big Island Won’t Reopen October 15 + Could Honolulu Offer On-Arrival Tests”
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Home » Blog » Hawaii Travel Tips » Big Island Won’t Reopen October 15 + Could Honolulu Offer On-Arrival Tests
Please add me to your list.
Im supposed to visit my son and grandkids dec 7th. Im supposed to land in kona rent a car and drive to mountain view. This is all so confusing. I already had to cancel in aug. I don’t even care if I have to quarantine when i get there but I’m not even sure I will be able to rent a vehicle or stay at a hotel overnight so Im not driving alone at 10pm from kona to mv.
This is beyond absurd. I have been trying to plan a two month stay, one month on the Big Island and one month on Kauai. One minute it looks like I can finalize plans then the next minute they contradict themselves. How can I commit to spending $10,000 + when I can’t get any confidence I will be able to travel? I feel bad for the people who rely on tourism for their livelihoods. Not only is their no end in sight they are scaring off future travelers.
Having rescheduled my flight 4 times, this is crazy. How does a mayor think they have the capacity to test 5,000 people a day, monitor tourists and do enforcement locally? How can the business community stand by and let this destruction of the local economy continue? Thanks for the updates but Hawaii has lost all credibility with travelers.
Beyond frustration with mayor Kim. We’ve been trying to visit our freshman daughter at UH-Hilo. We couldn’t go to drop off (she quarantined for 2 weeks by herself in a dorm room), planned for September, rescheduled to October 15, and now 9 days out, told it’s not opening. We have hundreds of dollars we won’t get refunded and we’re left with a bitter taste. We understand protecting islanders (although even that he’s failed at, even with all his quarantines their numbers are spiking); it’s the fact that after 6+ months nothing has been done to prepare for visitors. I’m sad for us being apart from our daughter and sad for the businesses relying on visitors.
According to what I just read, Mayor Kim has not made a definite decision to opt out of the October 15 pre-travel testing program. This is according to West Hawaii Today who reports Kim will decide this week some time.
Can this situation get any more surreal?
You have been suggesting the on-arrival testing for months now. Let’s hope they finally adopt it (or at least Honolulu to start).
Hi Mike.
Yes Kim has said he opted out and that is what was picked up by multiple other sources. Who knows what the truth is. We just have the definite sense that we have not heard the last word. Before it is all done, we think the governor will make some statewide decisions. Hawaii is a small place and having each island work differently just isn’t possible.
Aloha.
What are the name of the covid test that one can take at home 72 before leaving that Hawaii will except
Oh my… I am exhausted.
LOL
I am also concerned (as a future traveler in 2 weeks) the outcry of the local community and how they will treat visitors.
Thanks for your fast updates. What would we do without you?
Hi Joan.
We understand your concerns. This is definitely an evolving and complicated situation. Thanks.
Aloha.
I don’t know why anyone would want to go to Hawaii now unless it was to visit family or go for an extension stay at your own vacation home that you own, like for a few months. It isn’t worth it. The expense, the hassles, the limited things you can do on the islands, and most of all how the citizens treat the visitors. Not well is what I’m guessing. I am delaying for 2 years at least. Maybe never.
I think locals have a new appreciation for visitors. And I think a real return of Aloha will occur. Have no family there, only two years total time in the Islands. Can’t wait to return…only a quarantine will cause me to delay.
It is like they want to invoke as much pain possible on those of us who have yet to give up. Back and forth. Let’s tease everyone a little more.
I spent hours on the phone last night with Hawaiian Airlines convincing them to honor our original booking which was cancelled and to book us thru code share partners from the east coast thru Honolulu to Kona. Finally thought this long struggle and the related stress would be over…two rentals booked, air booked, rental car booked and testing options lined up and clarified. But no, that would be too ‘easy’. Let’s just close the big island. But let’s not be direct about it. We can keep people guessing right up until the last minute. That way when we pull the rug out the tourists will never want to come back. Just so frustrating.
Mahalo. Appreciate the update.
Hi Kyle.
Thanks and sorry about the frustration. We will be learning more – this won’t be the end of this discussion.
Aloha.
I’m from Big Island. Trying to find anywhere where it states Kim’s end to the opt out of the pre-testing program? Is it TBD at this time?
Any Mayor who is promoting the continued shut down of tourism needs to know two things.
1. The President and Congress ain’t going to pass a stimulus bill before the election. That is another month from now, give or take a couple of days. The earliest that any money could come in would be sometime in December provided that the current occupant is re-upped for four years. If it’s the opponent than good luck figuring out when that bill will pass Congress especially if Congress is still divided after the election.
2. Taken the LG’s position even further, I would be asking these Mayors what is your plan, right now, to deal with the unemployed? I would want them to think long and hard about how much money needs to be dolled out just to keep people fed, sheltered and healthy during this time. There is not enough CARES money that any of these counties got that could keep people going, especially after 12/31, when the bank account vanishes in the federal FRED system for states to request funding from.
Kauai Mayor Kawakami said, however, that “If the state has a plan, we don’t have clear guidance on what that plan looks like for interisland travel. Oftentimes conversations happen without our input.”
This sounds like the VERY SAME complaining Democrats make about the Trump Administration and Democrat Governors… except with the shoe on the other foot.
The State like the Federal Government has a hard time (legally) mandating policies across political jurisdictions.