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?
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