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Did we include your prior comment about the proposed Hawaii travel bubble?
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Great. Hurricane Douglas passes and Hurricane David (Ige) starts blowing in.
Don’t let him fool you folks, this isn’t about COVID-19 safety, it’s all about money. Japan owns more properties in Hawai’i than any other Country.
Ige is dispicable and will stop at nothing to insure his need for his pockets to be lined with yen.
If the Hawaiians feel comfortable bringing back travelers from whatever country AND this action keeps businesses open, then why not? As a mainlander, I would hope the saving of many jobs would make for a better Hawaiian experience for me when I am able to visit. Thumbs up to allowing whoever, to stabilize the economy.
The mainland has a lot of people that have resisted social distancing and mask usage and as a result covid is spreading greater then it
would have if everyone just pulled together for the greater good of all. We could have slowed this down but haven’t, we still could and may, but we are not there yet.
In Asia mask usage is much more the norm. Even before the pandemic you would often see Asian travelers with masks on. It’s common place if someone was traveling and they contracted a cold. They wore a mask as a courtesy to others. Interesting to note…more then once I heard Americans take offense to traveling Asians wearing a mask as they erroneously assumed the mask wearer was trying to protect themselves. They weren’t, they were wearing a mask to protect those around them as a courtesy.
Bottom line, Japan has done a better job of containing the virus then America. Of course it makes sense to open to them before areas with greater covid rates. If America had gotten this under control like Asia has and if Covid in Asia was as widespread as it is on the mainland I would say block Asia and open up to the mainland first. The virus doesn’t care what country you are from, just what you do to stop the spread, same goes for me.
Question..
Who bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941?
Japan
Question…
Why is the Coronavirus Pandemic still not under control on the Mainland?
Selfish Americans
Aloha! I’m really biting nails on my trip that I rescheduled from May to the end of October. I’m at a loss at what to do at this point. It’s a complicated trip involving 2 islands, 2 different timeshare companies, points on Hawaiian Air, and 2 different car rentals. To cancel would be a whole mess. I’m flying from San Diego. Does anyone else have a trip planned for Fall travel to Hawaii? Any advice is appreciated. I’m fine with travel testing. I’m fine with traveling period as we’ve been traveling the southland this whole pandemic (wearing masks and social distancing) we’ve been working this whole time so we aren’t able to quarantine. This trip has a good amount of money involved. I just don’t know what to do… wait it out or pull the plug before it’s too late?! Mahalo BOH please continue to update ya on this confusing situation. 🤙🏽
Hi Tammy.
Thanks for your dozens of comments! If you can wait a bit longer without jeopardizing too much, that would be our suggestion. We are now expecting to know more in just over two weeks – say by August 15. Don’t hold us to that, but it is our expectation.
Aloha.
Love you Beat Of Hawaii. I’ve been in a holding pattern since March so what’s another 2 months? This is crazy. Honestly, we’ve traveled so much and worked this whole pandemic time period and used many swimming pools. As long as you social distance and wear masks and don’t go out if you don’t feel well, there is very little chance of contracting or spreading the virus. Stay safe. ❤️
Hi Tammy.
Thanks!!
Aloha.
Aloha! The mainland is still the flaming capital of SARS Covid19. Why would anyone expect Hawaii to welcome that raging inferno? Japan, Australia and New Zealand have demonstrated that they understand the basics of disease prevention. Unfortunately the mainland residents have not. Yet as a tourist based economy we depend on visitors but there is no reason to jeopardize our citizens and economy with high risk mainland visitors. Mahalo
Hi Lynda.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Aloha. Thank you for re-running this question. I’m a Mainlander (East Coast), a Haole, who plans to retire in Kauai. Like many others, my wife and I cancelled our 3-week vacation in Kauai in May. And we have several good friends (locals) on Kauai. Several weeks ago, my initial reaction to a “Japan Bubble” was similar to other Mainlanders (We’re Americans, etc.). But now, with the big spike in cases throughout the U.S. – and especially in California a huge source of tourist – I have changed my mind. Please keep Hawaii safe. My wife is a Level 1 ER/Trauma Manager and fully appreciates the Islands limited healthcare capability. I now see the Japan Bubble as probably a good idea – a “test case” – to see if the State can make it work. Unfortunately, with the testing limitations in the Islands and on the Mainland, I agree with Gov Ige to strictly enforce the 14-day quarantine. That’s the sad reality of the situation. Aloha
Hi Tom.
Thanks for all of your comments.
Aloha.
I’m, sadly, almost to the point of not caring what Hawaii does anymore. Maybe it’s time to explore our other options. Falling OUT of love with Hawaii after all the bad vibes. Being careful is understandable, but I object to being lumped together with uncaring, uncooperative tourists. It takes us two years of careful saving to manage a trip to Hawaii, to enjoy the “Aloha”. I’m thinking we might give Mexico a chance. I hear the people there are very welcoming.
I understand the United States has many more COVID cases, but as a longtime Hilton timeshare owner I am very sad I cannot visit. I was told timeshare owners do own a piece of the pie. We continue to pay huge maintenance fees for nothing. There is certainly no guarantee that our lost trips can be squeezed back in another year. Hawaii is part of the United States after all.
We are Hilton timeshare owners as well. At least Hilton has taken steps to protect and extend points so that members won’t lose them. My husband is on the board of our time share, and they are just as frustrated as you are. They want to re-open, but that depends on Gov. Ige.
I have family in Honolulu that works in the hospitality business. From that standpoint I would welcome a process that would allow them to get back to work, and which would help the economy of the Islands. We also own interests in timeshares in which a large number of owners are from Japan, so that would help them remain solvent. On the other hand, Hawaii is part of the US, so I can understand why people would be upset. Actually, I don’t think it matters where the governor chooses to open tourism from, as the virus is all around the world. New Zealand has cases, Japan has cases, and in fact, the cases are leveling off and dropping in some parts of the US. It will get to Hawaii with travelers, no matter where they are from–remember the first cases in Hawaii, were from—Japan. Thanks for keeping us up to date on the reopening process.
Hi Lee
Thanks for your many comments.
Aloha.
It makes sense to limit the travel from the mainland. I wish we could close the state lines in Oregon as well. The infected Californians are traveling with no restrictions spreading the virus throughout our state. Until people understand how to limit risks, this is the right thing. Am I sad? Yes, I love Kauai and pushing back my next visit is a bummer. I can’t take 4 weeks off, spending two in quarantine before being able to enjoy the beauty makes it undo-able at this time. The only reasonable thing to do is allow area’s that have the virus under control come more readily and this way the tourist industry can survive.
It can only be spread if you’re out to catch it. Maintain social distance, wear a mask, wash your hands and you won’t catch it or spread it. Period. BTW the cases in California are high because it’s one of the largest states with plenty of tourism from your state as well. If you research the numbers, the infection/death rate is very low compared to the population.
If japan respects Hawaii in doing testing before they go to Hawaii.I live on the mainland.people for the most part do not care for what damage they do.It is not the right of some to infect the many
Look at how Japan has controlled the Coronavirus and then look at us here on the mainland. We have people that think the pandemic is a hoax and refuse to wear masks. I want to get back to Hawaii as much as the next guy but I can understand why Japan is being given consideration to help the economy.
Welcome back the people that bombed them first? Sure, why not. I’ve been there 10+ times. I’ve got my next one booked, which it looks like I have to cancel. I understand their dilemna. But if they want to let in another country before their own, perhaps they should be independent and not be getting those stimulus, unemployment from and other aid the government.
To me it sounds like a PR nightmare in the making… the date December 7, 1941 immediately comes to mind and I am sure it will be used against those in favor of a Japanese travel bubble taking preference over US mainland. Hoping to visit your islands this year but our trip has already been canceled 2 times. Thank you Beat of Hawaii… you are our #1 source of Hawaiian updates and information!
Hi Jan.
Thanks.
Aloha.
December 7, 1941
No invitation offered
July 2020
Hmmmm
Short memory
I’m not sure why anyone would think it’s a good idea to open up travel between Hawaii and Japan when some Hawaiian mayors are asking the governor to ban inter-island travel again. It makes no sense to me, but it seems that it’s all about the money. Japanese people spend more money than people from the mainland when they visit the islands.
Perhaps the other countries can regularly supply Hawaii with testing materials that the US government can’t. Make it a contract before the bubble opens. Then there would be a benefit to local Hawaiian people medically as well.
And I bet most of those who would travel to Hawaii would be far more inclined to follow rules, than the US citizens (as demonstrated in many areas)
That doesn’t make me happy, we bought a home on the BI and are arriving as full time residents in less then 2 weeks. Rightfully, we will be in quarantine for 14 days, we are figuring out Insta Cart, for food and all the other ways to get things we may need during this lockdown. I get that Hawaii needs to get back to work (just as all the other states) but to put another country before your owned just seems wrong.
Well… A lot to digest here. I can totally understand Hawaii’s point of view. However, its patently illegal. I have some legal and Con Law experience and what Hawaii is proposing is unconstitutional, and likely violates the Commerce Clause, among other things like the right to freely travel between the states.
I completely understand Hawaii’s thought processes here, and I actually support what they’re trying to do, but its discriminatory against mainlanders. I don’t know what the solution is, but this isn’t it. Clearly, the state’s partnership with CVS hasn’t borne fruit. They really need to work on this to ensure fast, reliable testing for everyone. ‘Til then, they’re really shooting themselves in the foot. If they could manage to work out the fast testing, then I think a lot of other issues would solve themselves.
Hawaii should leave the mandatory testing requirement up to the individual traveler period…shouldn’t matter where you are traveling from. This is utterly stupid and just shows you how out of touch the leadership in Hawaii truly is. Just because someone tests negative within 72 hrs of arrival means absolutely nothing! The incubation period of COVID is 3-14 days. If Hawaii requires any kind of financial rescue package then they should seek a bail out from those other countries and not the US government…why should my tax dollars help support Hawaii recovery?
Oh dear, the racists are at it again. DC imposes travel restrictions against states with high rates of Covid no one says a thing, Hawaii wants to welcome tourists with low rates of infection and all the old racism that Mainlanders get disrespected for comes out again. Does not matter where folks come from if they are free of disease and have an effective system of prevention and testing, come on down. If you have high rates of disease and no effective control, the constitution does not give you an inalienable right to spread pestilence and disease indeed states have a duty to protect the helath and welfare of their citizens.
If I can’t visit Hawaii from the mainland, then no one else should be allowed to visit! Especially Japanese tourists who (in my personal experience) are always polite, clean, wear masks, and come from a country with a low infection rate. Mahalo for hearing me out.
It only makes sense to allow visitors right now from countries and regions where infections are low. Hawaii’s economy is suffering, unemployment is high, bankruptcies are mounting, jobs are scarce to nonexistent. Even with only a slight boost to the economy, it’s more visitor dollars (or yen) than Hawaii is taking in right now. Australia and New Zealand should be allowed in the travel bubble shortly. For the safety of the people of Hawaii, we mainlanders can wait until the virus is under control. People will whine of course, saying it’s their “Constitutional right” to visit the islands and nonsense like that, but they need to suck it up. I read that hotels in Waikiki are taking unprecedented steps to ensure the safety of their guests, to include ionized disinfectants, no menus or brochures in rooms, UV wands, plexiglass shields at check in, reservations to use the pools and hot tubs, with a one hour time limit. So the industries are getting prepared. Maybe Ige has been waiting until these procedures have been put into place before allowing tourism, however limited. Hopefully the other islands are preparing as well.
How about Hawaii turn this into a win/win/win for Hawaii, Japan and the mainland… Negotiate into the deal that Japan supply Hawaii with enough testing supplies so Hawaii can utilize those testing supplies to not only test Japan arrivals but also mainland Us visitors. Of course there is a cost to this but possibly this could be both Japan and US government subsidized. Japan wins as a preferred Hawaii partner for travel and with a contract for testing, Hawaii wins with tested visitors from Japan and the Us mainland, and the US mainland wins with the opportunity to visit if they choose by getting a test at a subsidized rate. Could even set in the deal…Japan provide 5 tests per traveler from Japan to Hawaii. Then utilize the extra tests for mainland visitors. Could do something similar with other countries from Asia. Idea is if you want preferred travel then provide the tests to help Hawaii.
To answer the concern of contracting the virus from other travelers on the plane… if any travelers in your flight test positive then you are required to get tested every two days in Hawaii. A minor inconvenience for the opportunity to visit. Also allow visitors to attempt to get a test on their own before flying and show test results. Sure some will be able to and many will not. I know we would at least try further reducing risk. Those that can’t would then use the Hawaii arrival test option.
The end result is testing is the key. The US doesn’t have enough supplies. Other countries do. Let’s use the allure of Hawaii to tap into some of those test capabilities. Have them supply the tests for all visitors at a subsidized rate. Win/win/win for Hawaii/japan travelers / Us travelers. For those that refuse to get tested even when it is available then 14 day quarantine goes into effect. I am sure very few will refuse or simply will just stay home instead.
Thanks always Beat of Hawaii for the opportunity to discuss, debate and hypothesize solutions.
Hi Kyle.
Thanks very much.
Aloha.
I will not write anything new. I just copied 2 previous comments that you just posted in this. I totally agree with them.
“As an American citizen, the US Constitution is my right to cross state lines without restrictions. Also, their idea of a bubble with Japan is repugnan…Karen
“Hawaiians can send the bills to Japan and Australia and ask them when their next stimulus checks will arrive.” — MG.
As a owner of a condo in Hawaii I experience racism every time I visit. Most of the time it is subtle. This is blatant. Makes me angry that a state would open to foreign travel and not allow their own countrymen to visit.
I have a rental property (single family home) in the VDA (vacation Destination Area) on Kauai. We have lost all our bookings including future bookings for the entire year. We have depended on the income for our retirement.
Hurricane Ige has destroyed us as he has acted as the supreme non-leader…using his power to control citizens who have businesses in Hawaii.
We tried to come back to Kauai, doing the 14 day quarantine at our own house with two guests coming with us since they are building a house in our neighborhood. The Mayor of Kauai will not allow our friends to quarantine with us and told them they had to go and quarantine for 14 days in a designated hotel. Kauai has had no deaths related to Covid and just a few politicians are destroying the economy. The facts don’t justify the actions of these power hungry idiots!
Seriously is Ige closing his sovereign nation to American citizens and allowing other countries into Hawaii? He is Picking winners and losers as where they stay…this has killed us. The mayor of Kauai also has his own set of rules. Dictatorships don’t work! Best to all my brothers and sisters on Kauai…I hope to jobs come back when the tourists don’t.
.
One of the very joyous and beautiful trips my family takes is to Hawaii. Obviously there are many complex details to work out once we would land re: testing, etc. Today, I will not be the guinea pig to Hawaii’s experiments in this regard but we miss Maui ! So, let the Hawaiian government and, say, Japan and Australia work out these logistic kinks so that it can be a more efficient and effective system in the near future for us Mainlanders. You have our support Hawaii as I know you’ll safely welcome us very soon.
I fully support Hawaii opening up to tourists from Japan. Those who are opposed are extremely selfish.
Testing and getting results within 72 hours flying to Hawaii is NOT AN OPTION for the extreme majority of mainland visitors. Results are taking 4 – 10 days.
Until testing and results are possible within 72 hours, Hawaii’s options are:
1) Allow mainland visitors into the country without testing or a quarantine. This would basically guarantee that the hospitals would be overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases.
2) Continue to require a 14 day quarantine for everyone, including visitors from countries with extremely low cases of Covid-19. The local economy would continue to be devastated.
3) Continue the 14 day quarantine for mainland visitors, and allow some relief to Hawaii’s economy by allowing Japanese, New Zealanders, and Australians to enter without quarantine.
#3 is the obvious choice in the short term, unless you are unbelievably selfish. “If I can’t go to Hawaii without quarantine, than the Japanese can’t go, either!”
In the meantime, Hawaii will continue to work with CVS / Quest Diagnostics / others to get testing with fast results going on the mainland.
Aloha-I also wonder how “fair” this is. The same people that are in favor of welcoming Japan probably also think the federal government (ie the mainland) should be an endless supply of relief. You can’t have it both ways. As usual your story is insightful and relevant. One thing that is missing however is what the two of you think. If in fact Japan or any other country is allowed to travel to Hawaii before the mainland do you think that is a good idea? I know I am not alone in respecting your opinion.
Thanks
Hi Jon.
For us, this is an odd proposal. Being based on Kauai, we would expect it to have little benefit for the neighbor islands. Japanese visitors primarily go to Oahu, and stay in hotels. That’s where the benefit would be seen. And that’s before we consider the PR concerns which we alluded to. Also. it comes down to timing. If this were done in concert with opening US travel with testing (and again where do any of these tests come from?), then it would be perceived far differently, and better, than if it were done before or instead of US travel opening. We can’t fathom the state doing anything to alienate the west coast visitors who are the primary drivers for Hawaii’s tourism economy. Lastly, communication from the state is lacking, at best. So this gets discussed by officials without any mention of where it fits into a bigger and never to this point detailed plan.
Thanks for asking.
Aloha.
I do not agree that US citizens should be shunned. As others have stated, Hawaii is a part of the United States of America. That being said, what will be their response when they have a spike in cases from these foreign vistors. Now, that will be interesting. I absolutely hate when commentors lump all of the into the same category. I am sorry “Dave” but I am an extremely responsible individual who has yet to contract the virus!
No surprise that Hawaii still does not believe it is a us state, or atleast Some hawaiians think the rules don’t apply to them. Another big blow to PR for 70 percent of tourists from the mainland. Very stupid.
Yes have hawaii send its bills and requests fir aud to japan and any other bubbles it would like to be in, away from usa.
Japan had 996 new COVID-19 cases on 7/23/2020. On June 23, 2020, only one month prior, there were only 53 new cases reported. This is close to a 20 (twenty!) fold increase in daily cases in the span of only one month.
With this dramatic increase in cases along with a dramatically increasing curve, does Hawaii want to risk opening to even Japanese travelers at this time?
I would encourage Hawaii to wait. Please don’t open up only to rebound as a hot spot for COVID-19 in the near future. Keep yourselves safe.
The only pro-Japanese comments from the previous post were from Islanders. No one on the mainland thinks this is a fair and equitable way to open a US state to US citizens. Hawai’i is acting more like a territory and not a state. I get they’re all concerned but really? Get over yourself already. Hawai’i used to be my number one choice for vacations but after this fiasco I doubt I’ll be back anytime soon. Good luck surviving on the 15% tourists. It’s time the US government shuts off the unemployment funding faucet and let Hawai’i figure it out on their own.
We are tax paying part-time residents of Kauai and I strongly object to any consideration of opening the travel to anyone without first addressing those folks that continue to pay taxes, HOA fees, utilities, and housekeeping on the island.
—Bill from Northern CA
Who cares at this point?
2021 come quickly.
I find that the allowing of only visitors from other countries that have control over their virus as a common sense approach. I am not a Hawaii resident but I do own a family home on Maui that my family has been enjoying for 50+ years. It is very hard for our family to sit back and not use our home while we go through this pandemic. We have spent many holidays and celebrated weddings and anniversary’s on the island, but we have maintained our respect for our Hawaiian neighbors and have canceled all of our visits until it is safe to travel once again. I believe the governments approach could be worded and handled better so as not to alienate main land visitors that boosts the Hawaiian economy. There definitely needs to be a compromise on both sides and a well thought of plan for re-entry.
As a frequent visitor to Hawaii, I have a deep concern for our friends over there. Japan and other countries seem to have taken some effective steps to control COVID, and I can accept that lifting some restrictions with them might be okay. I know Hawai’i needs to find economic relief while still protecting people from exposure. The incidents of illness in the continental states are not decreasing and no effective steps are being taken toward containment. If hospitals in Hawai’i are overwhelmed, you can’t send the overflow to other states. I think allowing tourism from countries like Japan and New Zealand is a good next step.
Hawaii needs the money…. Let em come…. Done with the ridiculous politics… It’s time for survival.