This highly controversial concept just got wings of a sort.
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92 thoughts on “Kauai Resort Bubble Starts. But Will It Help or Hurt?”
This highly controversial concept just got wings of a sort.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
It’s a horrible idea and I wouldn’t travel like a dog until it’s changed. Hawaii has such few cases – they need to look at other Caribbean islands that are successfully opened to tourism as an example and enact that before the Hawaiian economy, unemployment and closed minded fatigue for keeps upcoming Tourists going elsewhere.
Be careful what you ask for… Take St. Lucia, for example. They require proof of a negative PCR test prior to arrival. Also, “Hotel guests traveling from outside the designated travel bubble are required to remain on the property for the duration of their stay except to participate in water-based excursions arranged by the hotel.” Note that the US is not a part of their designated travel bubble due to the amount of virus in this country. In other words, pretty much what the major of Kauai is suggesting for there.
We have been owners at the Marriott Kauai Vacation Resort for over 25 years. To say we love the resort and the island is an understatement. Our resort is beautiful, but our our main activities remain outside the resort enjoying the unmatched beauty of the island, which my wife and I consider spiritual.
We understand your need and desire to protect your local citizens and visitors as well. But the two week quarantine, along with some form of location monitoring would be totally unacceptable to my wife and me. In fact we find the tracking devices a reminder of a “big brother” attitude and quite offensive.
I cannot speak for other visitors to your lovely island, but I truly believe the policy you have outlined will seriously hurt your already struggling economy. Might you consider visitors presenting a officially documented test for the Covid Virus prior to visiting. Negative test results should be sufficient to allow a great number of visitors to enter Kauai safely without the possibility of spreading the virus. This combined with standard mask requirements in stores and crowded areas along with social distancing would also help ensure a containment of any spread of the virus. Maybe the resorts could also mandate daily temperature tests using specified locations around the resort.
I hope you will consider my suggestions, as my wife and I are anxious for a return visit but certainly not under the bubble concept you are proposing.
We had plans to fly to Kauai today which were canceled and rescheduled for November. If the Resort Bubble is still in place then, I’ll be canceling again. Not being able to go to the beach is a deal breaker. Oh and by the way, we had Covid in March, tested positive for antibodies in May and July.
We are currently halfway through our
14-day quarantine, a perfectly reasonable precaution that has made Kauai the nation’s safest place live and to visit.
But it hasn’t been easy. The resort bubble concept will be a spectacular improvement compared to current quarantine restrictions.
We have reservations to visit but at this point visiting a prison would be just about as good. We’re monitoring policies and if remains will cancel.
What good does this do for local business?? Or is it just geared to big money to make more money?? Getting testing available is what is crucial to reopen safely. Rapid Testing and letting people spend their money thru out the Island is what will stimulate the economy uniformly. Am I the only one wondering why this hasn’t already been implemented?
No, you’re not the only one! There are a quite a few us us baffled by the decisions made locally there. Regarding the whole corona-virus/CoVid-19 thing, I think the voice of reason is Josh Greene. Ige’s not that bad. He just doesn’t know what to do…Like everybody else! A new “real” for all of us. We’re all still figuring it out. Not a big Ige fan, but you’d not have done any better or any worse. Nor would have anyone.
I think the resort bubble idea stinks. We were suppose to arrive Oct. 2nd for three weeks. We had planned to get tested 72 hours before arrival. Now we will not be coming!
I hope that the gov will change so you dont have to wear face masks outside walking or on the beach
Thank you
Hi Greg.
We are confident you will not be wearing masks outside or on the beach.
Aloha.
Absolutely I’d never wear a bracelet for tracking my movements! That’s like the yellow star the Jews had to wear in Germany. When I go to Hawaii, I don’t stay in resorts. My main place to be is on a beach and in the ocean and I like to see interesting places and try different restaurants. There are lovely places to travel in the 48 states where there isn’t control of people. As much as I like Hawaii, I won’t go there under bubble restrictions.
This does not benefit the local economy! The action is not welled thought out.I will not come back until a plan to benefit everyone not just me but everyone the locals and the tourists.
I think this bubble idea might work for some people but we have a condo at Poipu Beach for 4 weeks the end of October to the end of November. We have as a family been coming since 1980. We have many Ohana on Kauai and would want to spend time with them on the beach or homes or eating out. So we won’t becoming this year. Aloha🌈❤🙏⛱🍍🌴
Why spend all that time on a plane and money on plane tickets, covid shots, AND wear a bracelet like a criminal to stay at a resort in one of the most beautiful places on earth? That’s crazy!!! Ige needs his head examined!!! People want to explore the beauty of Hawaii. Not get locked up for 2 weeks. I hope they get this figured out soon. Come back from Hawaii with an untanned ring around your ankle from your monitor bracelet???? Nice fashion accessory!
Maybe there are a few people for whom a Hawaii vacation consists of staying, eating, sleeping, sunbathing, swimming in a pool, and relaxing all in one resort…and that might work for some of the mega resorts on the Big Island. But visitors to Kauai are much more interested in hiking, exploring the awesome scenery, learning stand-up paddle boarding, eating at authentic local restaurants, enjoying shave ice and poke, shopping for local arts and crafts, taking a Humane Society dog out for a day, and cycling on the eastside bike path…to name just a few characteristics. I am skeptical that there will be sufficient visitors prepared to stay locked in a resort to make it economically feasible for the few all-inclusive “resorts” in Kauai to participate in the bubble program.
I think these extreme measures will cut the throat of their economy. There are not many who want to sit around a resort all day everyday and miss out on the beauty of hiking and exploring this beautiful island. The small businesses will take a beating. I can’t imagine this working. Hawaiians will be safe but at a huge price.
If we can’t eat dinner and listen to the great Hawaiian music at Garden Island grille in Koloa or shop for produce at the Wednesday night Kukui’ula Farmers Market, I’m afraid we’re going to have to take a pass.
This is already outdated. 3 p.m. today, October 15th, test within 72 hours and no quarantine when negative results received. We didn’t need it, but tested 9/8 had results 9/10 before we flew home. On day 6 of our “stay at home”.
Thanks for your continued updates.
Hi Jacquelyn.
THanks. Yes, it moves fast here these days. We published about the new situation immediately after it was released.
Aloha.
I find it odd that American citizens (or anyone for that matter), who are paying for an expensive vacation, would be open to being treated like criminals on house arrest. Being tracked with bracelets, and potentially facing fines and jail time, because they set foot outside a geofenced area, this sounds like a bad dream…
I can picture Tattoo saying, “De plane! De plane!”, and Ricardo Montalban saying, “Welcome to Fantasy Island!” 😳🤣
Wow
I’m 71 years old and, well excuse me, be the term ” Enhanced Movement Quarantine” sounds spooky and sinister.
Wear a bracelet like a convicted law breaker? I don’t think that will work for me and the wife.
Mahalo BOH for your forum.
Bill
Hi Bill.
You made us both laugh.
Aloha.
Kauai marches to the beat of its own drum. Always has. Even if, in this instance, it’s an idiotic drum. But go talk to locals on Kauai. Half will tell you they have no desire for tourism to come back in any way, shape or form resembling what it was before. They have “their island” back and are in absolutely no hurry to have visitors return. And it shows in everything Kawakami says.
I will not be tethered
I will not be forced to be tested
I will wear a mask
I will social distance
I will self quarantine only, but if I’m masking & distancing and haven’t gotten ill I must be doing it right!!!
Who locally does this help? Very few… but it does help the big companies that aren’t hurting near as bad as the locals. I for one am an American and I am canceling my trip which was booked 8 months ago. I will not submit to imprisonment!
Has someone lost their mind?
Why would I go to Hawaii to stay in one place?
Boy your politicians sure know nothing about their own market.
I go to swim, sail, luau, shop and to enjoy restaurants, as well as to sightsee with Jack Harter helicopters.
If you are tested 3 days prior to leaving, with documentation, this should be more than enough comfort for any Hawaii authority.
It might work for some people, and that would be good for the employees who need to support their families. If I get desperate for visit home I may consider it, but grocery shopping, visits with local friends, beach time, island crafts and favorite eateries are important. I’ll wait.Ruth
This is a ridiculous concept that doesn’t do anything for the economy. Who in their right mind will travel to Kauai to be confined on resort arrest? Wouldn’t you rather have people show up with negative test rather than have people show up who haven’t been tested coming in close contact with hotel staff?
This seems to indicate they still have no plan to open to Trans-Pacific pre-testing travel. What a farce!
Their excuses for not opening are getting weaker and weaker. It seems the most accurate excuse is, “We don’t want to open.”
No, I would not travel to a locked down bubble.
If the ‘bubble’ idea isn’t bad enough on its own, The Timbers just added a whole new layer of lunacy!
Can’t believe after 6 months, this is what they are going with? Very frustrating for all…
Who would spend Thousands of $$$ to be chained to one property for 14 days, it makes no sense. And how does that open the economy if you cant go off the property to spend money.
Thank you Greg R. I agree completely.
Greg R. was so right! Duuuhhh, Mayor!!
People are going to pay thousands of dollars to only be allowed to walk the resort, with monitoring bracelets? Which means, Kauai needs to market to the most unintelligent people in the world; people who would be willing to give Kauai hotels thousands of dollars to hold them captive? I’m not saying it’s impossible. 7 months ago I would have said it could never happen, but I have learned people will pretty much buy into anything these days.
I agree. This is a bad concept. I have no desire to pay to be shackled.