Updated 11/27/21. As news spread like wildfire yesterday about the latest variant of COVID, all of us “Hawaii-philes” started thinking about what the impact of this potentially catastrophic variant might be. While the facts and implications are still to be revealed, it appears to be a massive setback for the travel industry as a whole. And, it seems to foretell many upcoming changes, once again.
Are new Hawaii travel restrictions likely?
Though it isn’t clear how the mainland US or Hawaii will deal with the imminent threat of a new and potentially more serious Covid variant, it comes oddly juxtaposed and on the heels of Hawaii removing many COVID restrictions earlier this week.
Without a doubt, this news has put a kibosh on further relaxation of restrictions here in the islands for the foreseeable future. That much is abundantly clear.
Hawaii travel demand will soar yet further.
While there may be a temporary lull in bookings for all destinations, Hawaii is likely to rebound better than anywhere else.
People are continuing to desire Hawaii travel, with a continuing pent-up demand that simply isn’t going away. If anything, it will increase once again, as international travel returns to being daunting after it just starting a return to normalcy. Now we find once again that things are anything but normal. Bottom line is that exotic domestic travel, for many of you, has distinct advantages.
Hawaii-bound visitors will nonetheless have valid concerns. Those include their health and safety while traveling to, from, and within Hawaii, not wanting to negatively impact the limited Hawaii healthcare system, and the desire to safeguard their travel dollars should anything go awry.
Some international travel restrictions already returned.
The US and many other countries have banned travel from what is believed to be the source of the original infections, Southern African countries. But experts say that flight bans may slightly delay but not avoid the inevitable spread of the new variant. Already cases are popping up by the hour. The variant has now been identified in the UK, Italy, Germany, and other countries. It is likely already in the US as well. Paris, as of yesterday, required outdoor mask-wearing in many public places, such as waiting in lines, entering markets, schools, places of worship, and shows and festivals.
The erosion of 2022 international travel planning.
Even before this news, Europe has been suffering from COVID in a bad way. The EU is recording close to 250,000 new cases a day, the most ever. WHO said this week that more than 700K more Europeans could die by late winter. While WHO said overreaction to Nu is not indicated until the risks are better understood, the idea of international travel has once again been served a severe chill.
Hawaii is looking good again. Very good.
Travel stocks fell badly today, with airlines taking the brunt of it. Today, Hawaiian Airlines stock was down 8%, and other major carriers were down in the 8-10% range. Europe was already having difficulty booking summer 2022 travel, even before the latest specter of restrictions caused international travelers to pause further. Europe appears to be returning to a lock-down mentality. The US is probably not far behind, even though it just opened international travel earlier this month. With international travel less attractive and concerns about a global 4th and 5th COVID wave, Hawaii returns to an enviable domestic position.
Hawaii COVID pendulum swings wildly again.
We have gone back and forth so many times that it makes your head spin. Hawaii has gone from record tourism in 2019 to no tourism in 2020 and back to near-record tourism again.
After the Governor asked travelers to avoid Hawaii for September and October, he reinvited them to return starting November. That invitation was enhanced with Hawaii COVID rules relaxed just earlier this week.
See: Hawaii Travel: Feast or Famine
Could Hawaii see further restrictions?
Of course, anything is possible in regards to COVID. Some people have continued the call for testing of all arriving passengers. The Governor and others, however, doubt that it would be legal for Hawaii to implement testing unless it was done at a national level. Congress introduced a bill requiring all domestic travelers to show proof of vaccination or negative coronavirus test at airports to fly anywhere, including Hawaii.
What are your thoughts about Hawaii travel after learning about the Omicron variant?
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1st off with the trillions wasted on spending bills it would have been nice for the islands to have used some to build upgrade hospitals and staff these with those training in treating invectious viruses. Just saying every time there’s a spike the excuse for the ineffective measures is bc hospitals will get overwhelmed. So 2 yrs now not 1 new hospital built.
Dear Covid,
Omicron isn’t acceptable and you need to go away. Far far away.
Mahalo Jeff and Rob.
Aloha and stay safe everyone.
Welcome to the twilight zone.
Hi Pam.
Thanks. Good to hear from you! Yes, welcome.
Aloha.
We have a Maui and Big Island trip planned starting end of January 2022, and I have to admit, I’m feeling some concern – wondering if we’ll have to cancel – again. All of the unknowns involved create such negative stress for me, but I guess that’s life right now, and I need to accept reality! Thanks for keeping all of us up-to-date on the latest Hawaii happenings — so helpful!
Hi Glenna.
Thanks. We sure hope it works out for you to return in January.
Aloha.
FYI–one of South Africa’s foremost health experts has released a statement that this variant has been circulating among many countries for quite some time. The only reason it is being associated with South Africa is that they were the ones to actually break it down and identify the parts of the virus that made it a different variant. He stressed that halting travel from the area is actually ineffective and pointless because this variant is likely all over the world by now. No panic needed.
Although much is at stake not the least of which are livelihoods of many – perhaps most – Hawaiians including the Governor and state leadership would do best not to panic but be patient while the scientists evaluate the efficacy of the vaccines in protecting against the new variants as they reveal themselves.
The unfortunate and Uninformed knee-jerk responses by state leadership to COVID’s first variant last year did provide protection while it also seemed “over-the-top” and not well thought
I’m so glad we were able to visit Kauai and Oahu in September and October ! We had a wonderful time and are already booked to go again next September! Hopefully this new variant will be overcome soon! We have all lost too many friends to this scourge!
Using words like catastrophic, more serious variant, etc. just goes in line with all other msm outlets. It’s all fear inducing. Variants will always remain, even if vaccinations are at an all time high. We need to learn to live with this virus instead of living in constant fear. I won’t be traveling to Hawaii until the world has learned to deal with this virus.
I’m not sure what is meant by the world learning to deal with this virus.It is changing, it is seriously disruptive of travel, business, health care, and it is different in different places. Not at all a one-size-fits-all situation.Everyone has a part to play — governments and individuals, and fear in the right times, places and amounts is a healthy adaptation for survival.
We have made plans to return in January but with this new news, those plans may be canned. Not because we are worried about the variant but because of the islands possibly shutting down again like they did when we were there in 2020 and being under virtual house arrest with no way off of the island and harassment from locals and authorities alike. You two know me and must know what it has done to me to not be able to do my work there. Would have been nice to see you again….
Hello JULIE H
We were on the islands with you in 2020 (third visit) where we witnessed and endured firsthand the things (and more) you write of. Primarily because of these experiences we have put our return visit to be with family members working there on indefinite hold.
So far we are yet to find anything to convince us Hawaii may be predisposed to change.
“For the common good” is the most common excuse for uncommon evil.”
– Jakub Bożydar Wiśniewski, Wroclaw, Poland
Well said Heyward! As an adult and an American citizen, I would like to be able to make my own decisions as I have all of my adult life with, always, consideration for others and a helpful hand to lend. The abysmal way this was handled there and what we were put through when there were NO cases on Kauai, makes me very nervous about the over reactive government and how quickly they might shut us all down again with no regard for the damage they do to good and reasonable people.
Sorry folks, covid should not be compared to the flu. It has a mortality rate of 5-10 times higher and it’s long term effects if you survive can be much more serious. Do some research…I hope more of us are willing to sacrifice the inconvenience of masking in risky situations and stay up to date with vaccinations. Until then, we’ll all be subject to the consequences of the continued mutating covid virus.
At what number “variant” and what number booster will the people push back and say enough is enough. There are numerous variants of the flu. Imagine if we tracked that as intensely as this! It’s time for the media and governments to stop fear mongering, open everything up and let the people decide what they want to do…otherwise destination places like the beautiful islands of Hawaii will suffer even more.
I don’t believe Sonjad’s response is wise if implemented as a policy. COVID is nowheres anything like the flu, and that includes its variants. It’s always a good idea in such discussions to also mention one’s sources for the information one is offering. I rely on the established medical experts even if they have not always been 100% accurate or slow in responses. WHO and the CDC are still our best reliable sources. We need to go by what they advise and resist fringe online sources for our info.
It isn’t the nu variant, it is officially omicron or O
Hawaii, as with others, will revisit the same tired politically based dissimulation of “One More”.
One more stay away. One more no travel. One more closed for business. One more quarantine. One more shot. One more six feet. One more mask. One more stay-at-home from school. One more mandate. One more … .
The difference this time? We may now predict “One More” will once more solve nothing.
The new variant is called “Omicron” B.1.1.529
I realized that after I posted. Made a quick trip to
Google and discovered the name – why don’t they just call Covid-19 x2! Just done!
Why is it necessary to sensationalize this new variant: potentially catastrophic when in the next sentence you tell us there are no facts or implications. Viruses have been around forever as have variants. Lets wait and see what happens before bringing catastrophe into the discussion. Shame on you!
Wash your hands-often, stay home if you are sick, protect your sneeze and cough. Get vaccinated. Be safe, don’t panic and for pete sake don’t lock yourself up in your house. Go outside!
I don’t agree that this information on a new variant is “sensationalized”. If the evolving information, still with lots of unknowns, is not shared, people will not hesitate to jump on authorities for their “slow” responses.One hundred percent transparency, regardless of how little we still know, is always the best policy and discourages the conspiracy inclined.
I like the thought of flying with passengers who have had a Negative Covid test. The inconvenience of testing far outweighs the benefit.
I would feel much more comfortable flying if everyone was required to show proof of vaccination or negative test.
The planes from South Africa arriving in Amsterdam had many people on board that are fully vaccinated and had completed a covid test before getting on this flight.
They picked up covid in the plane and are now in quarantine.