Here is why we think Hawaii travel will rebound first. Yesterday, Dr. Anthony Fauci gave indications that suggest Hawaii may be sooner to recover than other travel destinations. Also, a study was just conducted to help determine travelers’ future plans. Read below and add your comments (which are responded to). After 12 years of publishing Beat of Hawaii, we have become a very engaged community with over 300 comments weekly. If you haven’t participated, we invite you to now. Question: When do you plan to return to Hawaii?
International travel may stay on hold.
Dr. Fauci suggested that international air travel may not be able to resume fully, even when the number of new cases in the U.S. drops. This as China is facing concerns about new cases coming from abroad rather than internally. Fauci said to the World Health Organization regarding international travel, the US will need to “very carefully examine how you are going to release the constraints.”
Beat of Hawaii: Travel to Hawaii is now on hold at least through May 20. Once the domestic threat eases, travel restrictions to Hawaii will end. At that point, there are strong indications that Hawaii travel will rebound first as cheap flights to Hawaii will return.
Further regarding international travel, Fauci went on to say, “I think we’re going to have to remember, we don’t want to import cases in.”
90% of Travelers Surveyed Intend to Travel Again in 2020.
The travel app company, TripScout, just surveyed 3,000 users in order to find out what travelers intend and help the travel industry better understand what to expect.
1. While 77% of those surveyed had to cancel or reschedule existing travel plans, a whopping 90% still plan on traveling in 2020.
2. 79% think the current crisis will be over in less than 6 months while 45% think it will be over under 3 months.
3. 60% indicated they plan on traveling as much in 2020 as originally planned, assuming the crisis abates relatively soon.
4 .70% are planning for trips 6 months away while 34% are booking refundable future travel.
Konrad Waliszewski, CEO of TripScout said “We wanted to quickly survey frequent travelers in order to gauge its impact on current and future travel plans. We hope this survey will shed light on what travelers are actually doing and thinking in order to help our industry better navigate the crisis.”
Where do you see yourself in these survey results? Comment below.
Big Island resident—agree with comments above asking people to put off HI travel until Dr Fauci and the true medical experts give an all clear that there is no danger of re-igniting spread. (The airlines and Chambers of Commerce are likely to jump the gun)The HI health system especially outside Oahu, suffers doctor shortages in the best of times. We haven’t even passed the peak of this, coming in a few weeks, and models followed by Dr Fauci and Birx show a long tail on the curve not ending until August—IF we continue isolating, hand washing, travel restrictions etc. And they warn we could have another outbreak in the winter!
I live on Big Island. We don’t want any visitors for a long time. Yes, you may have been coming here for years. Yes, you may have a rental or vacation home here but we do not want the threat and spread to continue on our island. It may be bad for the economy but human lives are worth more than money so stay away as long as you possibly can. I know everyone has been cooped up and is looking for brighter days and happiness but until this is completely under control, there will be no aloha for reckless visitors. Stay home with family. Work on your health, relationships, etc. Mahalo
Jon D. I agree with you! I live on Kauai and we also do not want tourists here-at least not in the near future. Even when this is seemingly under control this spring or summer (?) we do not need folks coming here who may infect those who live here. Our hospital system is not large enough to take care of residents and visitors alike. I’m hoping that our governor keeps the mandatory 14 day quar antine going for several months so that anyone arriving here is forced to quar antine until they are proven to not be carrying the vi rus. And when a vac cine becomes available, I urge everyone to get vac cinated so that in case this is cyclical and comes back next winter/spring, we will not have another pan demic. If all you readers really love Hawaii like you say you do, please help protect these islands by staying away as long as you can to give us time to heal.