227 thoughts on “No Recovery Yet For Hawaii Travel. Here’s Why.”
G
I hope people can come to Honolulu with the covid19 vaccine and avoid the quarantine in for September and October
I hope that the gov will allow that by may 1 or June or July from the mainland
Thank you
Ed. C
We returned today from 9 days on Maui. All my apprehension about getting tested and complying with all the travel requirements was totally unfounded. It was a very easy process. Two Walgreens in our immediate area offered the ID NOW rapid test with results in less than 3 hours. Wouldn’t hesitate to go back next week!
Kitty K
We have a trip planned for April and it has taken us – and another couple – about 2 days to figure out the test situation. The list of approved partners is available but not everyone understands what an NAAT test is vs a PCR vs a rapid test, etc., and where you can get it with assurance of receiving the results in the right time. Some partners, like CVS and Walgreen’s, will not guarantee the results within 72 hours. We’re coming from PA, and what if we get to our connecting flight in Denver and don’t have the results ?
We finally have figured it out, but we are internet-savvy people and travel experienced, so we’re coming, but I can’t imagine that everyone can handle it. And BTW, we are fully vaccinated, but no one in Hawaii seems to care.
John R.
Thanks Beat of Hawaii for updates. A couple of months to analyze if vaccinated people can go without testing, quarantine.?? Farmers markets rentals,restaurants, hotel staff etc.are almost beyond recovery. At 132K mayors salary ,& city council should cut their salary to ZERO and feel a little of the pinch as the rest of the citizens. But they’re not living pay check or unemployment check to the next. Step up, & get Kauai open & moving again. Mahalo John
Beat of Hawaii
Hi John.
Thanks. Hard to say how long it will take for Hawaii to feel comfortable announcing vaccination-based travel.
Aloha.
Katie S.
I’m on the cusp of pushing out my Kauai late May dates to 2022. I’ll be fully vaccinated by mid April, yet it just doesn’t look like Kauai is ready to let me be there without any form of quarantine. I don’t want to wait till what, mid April, to see what they figure out. Josh Greene already said something about mainland travel won’t happen till mid/late May. There’s no guarantee. That said, I respect the island taking care of itself. I’ve been a regular visitor for over a decade and am very concerned about all the businesses I frequent, and look forward to when I am there. I appreciate the reporting you have done regarding this complex situation. I wish you all the very best. Mahalo
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Katie.
Thanks. What you say makes sense inasmuch as spring is almost here and it just isn’t clear what Hawaii plans in your timeframe.
Aloha.
Steven S.
Mahalo for the update! My question is for the local residents of Hawaii. Why are you folks putting up with this obvious incompetence from the governor? In California, they are trying to recall the governor. Hawaii tourism is in a Great Depression and it appears that the State Governor is sticking his head in the sand. We are jumping through crazy hoops with one airline to get a decent transcontinental flight to California. This is only because we have free tickets on Southwest. We will have both vaccinations by our trip (with 2 weeks to spare) and are happy to drive 20 miles to a Walgreens providing the PCR test results within 24 hours.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Steven.
Thanks. So far we haven’t seen much interest in a recall. He’ll be termed out in 2022.
Aloha.
sean
That could be because of the ” go along to get along” atmosphere in Hawaii. Everyone must agree, and if you don’t you are a trouble maker who doesn’t “understand Hawaii”.
Ed. C
Well said Sean.
julie m.
We spent 10 beautiful days in Maui this past month. Yes, it was challenging getting testing and understanding the rules, but well worth it to be on our beautiful island. We stay in a small condo, so it was easy to social distance. The beaches were great. The shopping and restaurants are a little limited, but very happy to have visitors. Very welcoming. Getting thru the airport with our negative tests was easier than expected. Took an extra 1/2 hour. Finding a testing center in Northern CA was not easy, we opted for Vault by mail via Zoom. It was expensive, but easy. We really want to travel to Kauai in October, but they obviously don’t want us!!!
Alfred H
We’re starting to get bookings after being empty since the end of March of last year. As you said, the Canadian’s are missing though, as they don’t want to have to quarantine for 14-days when they return home. Hawaii doesn’t have any control over that. We’ve gotten zero booking from Asia as well. Typically we see visitors from Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Alfred.
We’re happy to hear you are getting bookings. Others are telling us the same thing.
Aloha.
Rod W
I’m heading to Maui this weekend with my family for a 2 week stay, I think I have my i’s dotted and t’s crossed – I’ll let you know how it goes.
Beth C.
Following
Susan M
“…this (low hotel occupancy rate) continues in spite of relatively easy quarantine waivers…” This is such a false statement and could very easily be the cause of visitors not going to Hawaii. My 6 year old grand niece is going over with me in May. She lives in Skagway, Alaska (pop. 1000) so obviously there are no ‘trusted partners’ there, even though there is an excellent medical clinic She is flying to Seattle, we have to spend the night near the airport, get up early the next morning and get her tested at a site that guarantees one hour results. To the tune of $196. For a 6 year old! And even if you are in an area that you’re able to get to a ‘trusted partner” you either pay $150+ for guaranteed results within 72 hours or you are stressed out for 3 days. As far as the difficulty in understanding the ‘rules’….that is in your control and can be accomplished with help, if need be. The 72 hour test result mandate is out of your control. Thanks to you guys for allowing us to let the powers to be know how it is working in real life. I sincerely hope they follow Beat of Hawaii and pay attention to what their visitors are telling them.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Susan.
Thanks. We can’t say that they will follow what you’re saying but can assure you that they are reading it.
Aloha.
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
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I hope people can come to Honolulu with the covid19 vaccine and avoid the quarantine in for September and October
I hope that the gov will allow that by may 1 or June or July from the mainland
Thank you
We returned today from 9 days on Maui. All my apprehension about getting tested and complying with all the travel requirements was totally unfounded. It was a very easy process. Two Walgreens in our immediate area offered the ID NOW rapid test with results in less than 3 hours. Wouldn’t hesitate to go back next week!
We have a trip planned for April and it has taken us – and another couple – about 2 days to figure out the test situation. The list of approved partners is available but not everyone understands what an NAAT test is vs a PCR vs a rapid test, etc., and where you can get it with assurance of receiving the results in the right time. Some partners, like CVS and Walgreen’s, will not guarantee the results within 72 hours. We’re coming from PA, and what if we get to our connecting flight in Denver and don’t have the results ?
We finally have figured it out, but we are internet-savvy people and travel experienced, so we’re coming, but I can’t imagine that everyone can handle it. And BTW, we are fully vaccinated, but no one in Hawaii seems to care.
Thanks Beat of Hawaii for updates. A couple of months to analyze if vaccinated people can go without testing, quarantine.?? Farmers markets rentals,restaurants, hotel staff etc.are almost beyond recovery. At 132K mayors salary ,& city council should cut their salary to ZERO and feel a little of the pinch as the rest of the citizens. But they’re not living pay check or unemployment check to the next. Step up, & get Kauai open & moving again. Mahalo John
Hi John.
Thanks. Hard to say how long it will take for Hawaii to feel comfortable announcing vaccination-based travel.
Aloha.
I’m on the cusp of pushing out my Kauai late May dates to 2022. I’ll be fully vaccinated by mid April, yet it just doesn’t look like Kauai is ready to let me be there without any form of quarantine. I don’t want to wait till what, mid April, to see what they figure out. Josh Greene already said something about mainland travel won’t happen till mid/late May. There’s no guarantee. That said, I respect the island taking care of itself. I’ve been a regular visitor for over a decade and am very concerned about all the businesses I frequent, and look forward to when I am there. I appreciate the reporting you have done regarding this complex situation. I wish you all the very best. Mahalo
Hi Katie.
Thanks. What you say makes sense inasmuch as spring is almost here and it just isn’t clear what Hawaii plans in your timeframe.
Aloha.
Mahalo for the update! My question is for the local residents of Hawaii. Why are you folks putting up with this obvious incompetence from the governor? In California, they are trying to recall the governor. Hawaii tourism is in a Great Depression and it appears that the State Governor is sticking his head in the sand. We are jumping through crazy hoops with one airline to get a decent transcontinental flight to California. This is only because we have free tickets on Southwest. We will have both vaccinations by our trip (with 2 weeks to spare) and are happy to drive 20 miles to a Walgreens providing the PCR test results within 24 hours.
Hi Steven.
Thanks. So far we haven’t seen much interest in a recall. He’ll be termed out in 2022.
Aloha.
That could be because of the ” go along to get along” atmosphere in Hawaii. Everyone must agree, and if you don’t you are a trouble maker who doesn’t “understand Hawaii”.
Well said Sean.
We spent 10 beautiful days in Maui this past month. Yes, it was challenging getting testing and understanding the rules, but well worth it to be on our beautiful island. We stay in a small condo, so it was easy to social distance. The beaches were great. The shopping and restaurants are a little limited, but very happy to have visitors. Very welcoming. Getting thru the airport with our negative tests was easier than expected. Took an extra 1/2 hour. Finding a testing center in Northern CA was not easy, we opted for Vault by mail via Zoom. It was expensive, but easy. We really want to travel to Kauai in October, but they obviously don’t want us!!!
We’re starting to get bookings after being empty since the end of March of last year. As you said, the Canadian’s are missing though, as they don’t want to have to quarantine for 14-days when they return home. Hawaii doesn’t have any control over that. We’ve gotten zero booking from Asia as well. Typically we see visitors from Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Hi Alfred.
We’re happy to hear you are getting bookings. Others are telling us the same thing.
Aloha.
I’m heading to Maui this weekend with my family for a 2 week stay, I think I have my i’s dotted and t’s crossed – I’ll let you know how it goes.
Following
“…this (low hotel occupancy rate) continues in spite of relatively easy quarantine waivers…” This is such a false statement and could very easily be the cause of visitors not going to Hawaii. My 6 year old grand niece is going over with me in May. She lives in Skagway, Alaska (pop. 1000) so obviously there are no ‘trusted partners’ there, even though there is an excellent medical clinic She is flying to Seattle, we have to spend the night near the airport, get up early the next morning and get her tested at a site that guarantees one hour results. To the tune of $196. For a 6 year old! And even if you are in an area that you’re able to get to a ‘trusted partner” you either pay $150+ for guaranteed results within 72 hours or you are stressed out for 3 days. As far as the difficulty in understanding the ‘rules’….that is in your control and can be accomplished with help, if need be. The 72 hour test result mandate is out of your control. Thanks to you guys for allowing us to let the powers to be know how it is working in real life. I sincerely hope they follow Beat of Hawaii and pay attention to what their visitors are telling them.
Hi Susan.
Thanks. We can’t say that they will follow what you’re saying but can assure you that they are reading it.
Aloha.