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Is Hawaii Travel Permanently Changed By Covid?

Hawaii is in the midst of a seasonal slowdown seen annually. However, this year, it is being exacerbated by Covid fears and by the governor’s request that visitors postpone travel to Hawaii through October. We are all left wondering what will happen next and what that means for Hawaii travel for now and the future.

One thing is for sure; virtually everyone says that Covid-19 isn’t going anywhere soon. As much as none of wanted to believe that. Here are some of the things we are seeing, and we welcome your thoughts and additions:

1. Outbreaks in Hawaii, as elsewhere, will continue, even if, for now, the numbers continue to trend downwards. Today, for example, the state reported another relatively tame 461 new Covid cases. That following days of more than 1,000 cases.

2. Facemasks in Hawaii will continue to be the norm. Indoor mask requirements are not going to be lifted. We don’t even know when that could happen. In addition, the federal government will continue to require masks when flying until at least January or longer. Other Covid policies in Hawaii will continue to unfold when deemed necessary.

3. Covid cases in Hawaii will continue to be worrisome in large part due to the state’s limited and geographically remote medical system.

4. Surges followed by drops in cases appear to be part of the new normal we can expect here in Hawaii and elsewhere.

5. Hawaii travel will remain highly desirable but not be without worry for the foreseeable future. Hawaii is easy since it is domestic, and your health insurance, among other things, works here. At the same time, long flights and often multiple airports aren’t as easy, safe, or desirable as was once the case.

6.  Changing international travel restrictions will continue to help Hawaii travel. Even though Europe and other countries seem like great ideas, being in another country at this time can feel daunting for many of us now.

7. Proof of vaccination requirements will continue to expand. This week, Hawaii vaccination passport requirements will be implemented both on Maui and Oahu for restaurants and other activities. We do expect that to expand to the other islands maybe as soon as this week. There are even indications that the federal government might mandate vaccinations for air travel domestically.

8. Commercial vaccination passports will come into greater use in Hawaii. Those three Hawaii-approved passports will be the common denominator for determining proof of vaccination, among other things.

9. Travel insurance will be in all of our minds. For us, cancel-for-any-reason is something that is important to consider since getting out of all prepaid trip expenses for concerns about travel during Covid is otherwise largely impossible.

10. Clearly, there is no end in sight as the waves of Covid continue. It will also remain as political as it is biological.

67 thoughts on “Is Hawaii Travel Permanently Changed By Covid?”

  1. Hoping someone can help. Having a terrible time completing Hawaii Safe Travels. Have joined Clear but cannot get the website to upload to Safe Travels for the COVID vaccination information. Have done everything repeatedly. Any thoughts?
    Thank you for helping.

  2. Being vaccinated does not give you immunity, stop you from getting infected, or transmitting COVID-19. Every visitor and returning resident to the islands should be pretested regardless of their vaccination status.

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  3. Thank you, I love this reminder to all travelers. I commend Governor Ige and all of Hawaii for thinking of people’s lives over money. I live in Florida where money and selfish are filling our hospitals and killing teachers, children, and our residents.

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  4. We just returned from Oahu. No problems with the safe travels app, non stop from ATL-HNL and used Uber to get around the island. All in all it was a great trip.

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    1. Dear Mike, my trip to Oahu is now planned for 2023 & I’m very excited!! 😍❤👒🩴👙🕶🌊🌈🌞🛩🌏🌺🐠🐢🥥🍍🏝🏖🌸 It has been my lifelong dream to come to Hawaii for my vacation & I’m looking forward to the day when I’m sitting on ✈ !! Take care & stay safe. Be blessed….psalms 91:11😇

  5. Hi. Was in Maui, Kauai and Big Island in July when testing was still required even if you were vaccinated. Totally a non issue. Has a blast. Beautiful place. Had a great rental car reservation from months before which was 100% honored in each island. Starting to plan going back next year. Just follow the rules.

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  6. Aloha BOH Bro’s

    Hawaii travel check list:

    New water shoes👍
    New rash guard 👍
    New Hawaiian shirt 👍
    New underwear 👍
    New CDC Vac Card👍
    New Hawaiian print mask👍

    Not much different than my last trip to Maui🤗

    Looks lik

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  7. Is Hawaii travel permanently changed by COVID? I suggest it will be if not already so.

    Given the uncertainties surrounding both the virus and Hawaii’s abilities to respond effectively, I would offer permanent change is inevitable. This shift will be one of a move away from generally stable travel growth policies toward a Hawaii chasing its visitation and tourism plans tail with a continuing series of unpredictable ad-hoc measures. The permanent change will be to a status of turbulent change.

    What is yet to be observed is whether Hawaii can manage these on-off-on-off cycles well enough to avoid its tourism industry dying from either overeating or starvation.

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  8. Travel to the Islands is rapidly becoming a nonstarter. Flights are expensive and time consuming, mask mandates on the Islands are ineffective and bothersome, and most importantly who wants to vacation in a place where you’re clearly not appreciated or wanted. There are many other places to vacation, easier to get to, cheaper, maskless, and appreciative of people who make the effort to visit in tough times. There is long term damage being done to the largest business in Hawaii, you have been warned, no crying when you’re all starving in five years.

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    1. First of you plan ahead tickets are not expensive and as a matter of fact I just saw a BOH email come in with 99 dollar fares. So if that’s expensive don’t know what more to say.

      2nd 99.9999% of the people I saw wore masks around bug crowds even outside when the outdoor mandate had already been lifted. So cry me a river in masks. The people I saw none seemed to take issue with it
      3rd. I’ve done a lot of traveling in my time and the 10 days I spent in June on Oahu I have never felt more welcomed and appreciated. Store owners restaurants even at Walmart all very welcoming and nice. So you apparently only want slaves at your feet or something. Sure wasn’t what I experienced.

      3rd sure go to Florida. Spend your money where your health isn’t important but money is. Go ahead and enjoy but stop dumping on the beautiful state of Hawaii that I love. I will gladly take your place.
      Now take your leave thanks

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  9. My husband and I will be going to Maui. We will be there on Thanksgiving. Can you recommend a nice place to reserve for Thanksgiving Dinner?

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  10. “My body my choice” ok for killing babies with heat beats but not on for forced vacations
    Just can’t fix stupid

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