Excited as visitors and many if not most residents are about the return of Hawaii travel, lack of an essential, comprehensive marketing and arrivals campaign has resulted in visitors not knowing what to do. The state’s failure is also resulting in unneeded frustration for residents.
These police actions have been a result of not wearing masks or failure of social distancing, according to the Honolulu Police Department. This has already occurred in the past five days, since the pre-travel testing program allowed visitors to the islands without mandatory quarantine, for the first time since March.
Honolulu’s mayor is frustrated, and while not specifically pointing fingers said he was “Discouraged by the fact that our partners in the visitor industry have not started to educate visitors.” Adding, that this is “Going to create resentment between local and visitors.”
Some are suggesting a video played on all flights to Hawaii delineating the otherwise uber confusing island by island rules.
Beat of Hawaii: The mask policy is mostly the same on all of our islands. If you leave your room, house, or condo, mask up at all times if you are 5 or older, because you can’t guarantee there will always be 6′ social distancing. That means wearing a mask when you walk around your resort or on our streets, while visiting stores, going to the gym or beach, and dining at restaurants. Exceptions can vary by island. For example, Oahu requires masks even when you are with your family. If in doubt, wear a mask. It keeps everyone safer, both visitors and residents, so we can all work together and enjoy Hawaii.
It should be remembered, however, that visitors may in some ways be actually less of a concern than residents that gather in larger groups and have not themselves been tested one or more times the way visitors have.
John W. wrote this comment: “All Hawaii has to do is set up a good testing program, keep the mask and social distancing message going and we would be in a great position to get through this as well as possible. Nothing is going to be 100% full proof, you cannot totally eliminate the conspiracy nuts and some people just don’t care about anyone but themselves…….it’s up to the rest of us. Aloha to all.”
Hawaii Lodging’s Mufi Hannemann said, “I think what the test does from a perception point of view and the science ― at least no one is going to come in here without being able to verify some shape or form from this test that they are COVID-free.” He said that hotels have implemented education programs for guests. We have not heard what accommodations are doing in that regard, but please let us know.
While the lieutenant governor said that the state is doing the best job possible to inform visitors, a quick visit to the state’s visitor website paints a different picture. There we found little actual information, and nothing island-by-island to help. The site’s COVID page was largely related to testing procedures and timing, and the only a mention to “Socially distance, wear masks covering nose and mouth.” Green said, however, “We have made it very clear that upon entry that everyone has to wear a mask while they’re in Hawaii. They get instructions from our National Guard.”
Honolulu’s mayor and gubernatorial aspirant Caldwell believes “It’s incumbent on the visitor industry if they want to spread aloha, they have to make sure their guests are following all the required rules.” BOH: Our take is that the responsibility starts first with the state, followed by education at the stakeholder level.
Those of you who have already arrived and those who are coming, please let us know how you think we are doing here in Hawaii, and what suggestions you have for what is needed.
Common sense tells us to wear a mask when we are indoor or outdoor close to one another,where I get annoyed is the mask wearers that come up on ya,like this is the solution,the mask is a layer of protection,but stop crowding because it’s the distance between us that is important, atleast until they have a better way…
A mask outdoors when your can keep a safe distance is a little much. I think I know how to be responsible
Hello, we are a family of four with a 4 year old and 1 year old. What is your advice for families traveling from California to Hawaii during the the December holidays? Shall we bypass it this year or go for it?
Best to reschedule it will be like a vacation at a detention center violate or state rules and they will bleed you bind
HAWAII: “Our state borders are closed, unless you follow very specific rules and fill out all of the required paperwork ahead of time. This is for the best interests and safety of our residents. If you dont want to follow the rules, don’t come.”
Are we all going to really act like this is not the EXACT SAME THING as the border wall between the US/Mexico and people being required to fill out the appropriate forms?
You can’t be against “border walls” for some but be for it when it benefits you.
Give Hawaii sovereignty back and cut the bank roll, if that’s what the people want.
Hello, I arrived on the 15th of October. I took my covid test on Wednesday and received my results on Sunday. I did the required check in daily with the state of Hawaii and quarantined at my sister’s house until I received my negative results which I received from the partnered company quest diagnostics on Sunday. I submitted my results to the official website and did not receive any further instructions o. What to do. I printed out my results and left quarantine, because I did have my test within the required 72 hr timetable. It would be nice to know specifically the rules o what to do with a negative test. When I arrived I asked the gal who administered my arrival and she said that I can travel after I receive my rwsults.
In regards to the mask policy, order 5 from the October 20th release by the Mayor’s office states
“ Order 5: Face coverings.
All individuals within the City shall wear face coverings while outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of six (6) feet from other individuals (who are not members of the same household or living unit) is not feasible.”
This contradicts the information in this article, and may be some of the reason for the confusion.
I think that if everybody can get on the exact same page, it would be extremely helpful for locals and visitors going forward.
We all want to be safe and keep others safe.
It’s heartening that most people here are not anti mask narcissists and even some that appear anti mask seem to qualify it
with some of the over the top mask wearing going on …….driving alone in a car with a mask? I get it. You are not against masks, just how they are used.
If our country hadn’t devolved into such a divided politicized mess we could have come up with a unified strategy that would have had us working together, more people would be applying common sense mask and social distance usage and we could have been much further down the road on this.
Gotta love Sam Elliots message no matter who you are!
I call anti maskers Maskholes 🙂
Or holemasckers
Interesting that the Hawaii Visitor Association has put out a video promoting Hawaii and wearing masks yet no one in the video is wearing one, except a person at the end showing how to put a mask on.
We are going to Maui on November 7th. This has been a helpful article.
Thank you
Hi Matthew.
Glad it was useful. Have a great time on Maui.
Aloha.