One reader and Hawaii visitor stated the situation well. Read what she had to say and our thoughts.
113 thoughts on “Why Hawaii Visitors Are So Frustrated”
Comments are closed.
One reader and Hawaii visitor stated the situation well. Read what she had to say and our thoughts.
Comments are closed.
Absolutely agree with your article. We already cancelled our November trip, which was planned to take the place of our April trip, which was also cancelled. We are now booked for March 2021, and hoping all is worked out by that time. We have kids, and cousins on Oahu, so we definitely want the governor to make decisions that will keep them safe, but the changes, which seem to be done monthly make it very difficult. No one wants to lose the money they have invested in a trip to the Islands, so creating a plan would make life less difficult for everybody, but Gov. Ige doesn’t seem willing or able to do that. I watched his interview this morning, and once again, he’s waffling, and seems to be suggesting that the Sept. date will be pushed back. Personally, I’d rather he would just say that Hawaii won’t open until November, or December, or January, and then stick to it. That would give a couple of extra months to plan.
Thanks BOH for keeping us up to date.
Hi Lee.
Thanks.
Aloha.
No matter which way government decides it will be deemed “wrong” but a decision wpuld allow people to act accordingly. Best wishes to the Hawaiian people. I hope to return some day, but not this year. Thank you, BoH,for these updates.
Hi Michele.
Thanks.
Aloha.
This is my third attempt come to Islands this year. First, was to celebrate my 80th birthday with 15 members of my family in July that I had to cancel losing over $2000. In October, I was scheduled to cruise to Hawaii on Princess and that was cancelled. Now, with fingers crossed, I have booked flights to a 10 day vacation in Kauai at Thanksgiving with half my family to celebrate our 55th Anniversary. My love for Hawaii began during the Korean War when my Dad worked at Pearl Harbor and I went to Pearl Harbor Elementary. Since retiring 20 years ago, my wife have been almost yearly visitors. The last visit was in March on the Star Princess.
Information about COVID19 prevalence, infection routes, treatment, and prevention are constantly changing. The availability of testing supplies in this country is constantly changing. This is a situation that has not been seen in a hundred years. To expect the governor to plan, enact, and stick to a single unwavering strategy seems kind of ridiculous.
Bermuda is now considered level 3 travel warning and is no comparison for Hawaii since the population is 20 fold smaller and the tourism is 50 fold smaller. The governor is torn between the unfolding grim reality and danger of COVID19 and the equally difficult economic pressures.
I completely respect the concerns regarding covid 19 . However, I cannot understand the lack of preparation with regard to testing and allowing tourism to return to Hawaii . The grave impact that this ineptness on residents and businesses truly is concerning. Be prepared . Let tourist know what they need to do to visit . Stop leaving everyone in limbo . We want to visit. Few can afford a 14 day quarantine but other health requirements can be made to work . Give visitors concrete guidelines .
Aloha, as much as we miss Hawaii, we as re waiting until next year until we plan another trip, way to much uncertainty with the whole covid situation, as senior’s, now is not the time for us to take chance’s with unnecessary travel, hope you all are able to weather this storm and we hope to see you all next year
We also live a tourist town in northern New Mexico our governor has more or less shut us down no bars or indoor dining. Every person has to quarantine for 14 days wear a mask everywhere . I know it is tough our daughter leaves in Maui , we just have to learn to suck it up and follow the rules and maybe we can end this virus.
I understand potential visitors’ frustrations, but the desires of vacationers do not trump the residents’ rights to safety and protection. BTW, I’m a long-standing vacationer on Kauai and truly love the island and the people there.
Who cares all on this site are
We gave up on making reservations for Hawaii this year because of the inability to get a firm reopening date. My husband and I have traveled to Hawaii 2 weeks a year for decades, and one of those weeks is a timeshare that we pay a large annual fee for. By the time we purchase flights and an additional week and insurance the trip is pretty expensive. So we banked our week and are making 3 trips to Mexico instead. We just returned from Puerto Vallarta and plan on 2 trips to Cabo before the end of the year. Mexico is hurting also, and the locals are bending over backwards to keep everyone safe.
Dear Hawaii powers to be,
We want to come visit you and we want to keep your residents safe. We will come back and follow the rules about social distancing and wearing masks. But, please let us return. We love your islands and we love Hawaiian people. We will continue to respect you and your culture and your land. We will come back when you say the time is right, but we hope it will be sooner rather than later. Aloha!
It’s the Trump virus now. Spin it all you want.
It’s probably more the Democrat virus
Aloha-I love the way you are so direct and somewhat unfiltered. You are voicing what many of us have been thinking for some time. their actions show they have learned, and therefore accomplished nothing in six months. Another lockdown will not solve anything and we will be in the same place six months from now. All vulnerable people should be in lockdown period. Wear masks in public and open back up. Lockdown won’t gain anything and the economy will be even more damaged. The damage to mental health will continue for years and no one will talk about that
Mahalo
Hi Jon.
Thank you. We appreciate all of your comments.
Aloha.
If you take Oahu out of the mix Hawaii has low numbers of cases and infection rates. Why issue a state-wide policy when the problem is concentrated in Honolulu? Open Maui, Hawaii, Kauai to visitors utilizing the Alaska model until Oahu gets back under control. The virus is going to be with us for awhile. Protect the vulnerable and let the rest get back to living. We have December plans for the Big Island but due to the lack of a plan by the politicians we are actively looking for an alternative as much as it pains us not to visit the place we love most.
I believe Hawaii’s Governor is not decisive enough. He needs to firm on his actions to keep all of Hawaii safe. I am not a tourist but a former islander, and my firm belief is, “If my going home to Hawaii, in any way shape or form will cause harm, I am to stay off the island, period.” I am not sympathetic to the wants of those who are visiting. There is a pandemic that our entire government is not in control of, yet, we believe we should be flying in a tube together over an ocean hoping that everything will be fine once it’s landed. That is a singular thought. I want to go home to visit my family and I will do so when it’s safe. It’s not right now, and no matter how the Gov. of Hawaii is reacting, I believe self-responsibility should be the guidance that all who consider going to Hawaii should be using.
Many of us are islanders but don’t bash longtime visitors and brag!!!!are u a native Hawaiian or samoan???
We cancelled our August 2020 plans and re-booked for next August. We go every year and we are not ready to give up on Hawaii. Received refunds/credits from the airlines for our next trip.
Hi, We had flights and a condo for September 14th. Our fingers were crossed but we canceled our condo about two weeks ago because of all the uncertainty.
Yesterday Hawaiian Airlines notified us our flights were canceled and they would give us a credit or refund.
I truly love Hawaii and the kindness of the Hawaiian people, to me it is Heaven on Earth.
As much as I wanted and needed this vacation, I also did not want to cause any harm to a place I love and treasure as much as Hawaii. I will return because I have always felt welcomed and truly at peace in Hawaii. A hui hou, mālama pono!
Is the following true – if you test negative for Covid within 72 hrs of arrival in HI you are allowed entry with no quarantine?
Mahalo.
Hi Cheryl.
That is definitely not correct. There is no exception to quarantine.
Aloha.
Author writes great articles i still enjoy reading after leaving hawaii. Friends want me to come back to hawaii when all this is over but idk.
I really think its a tough sell when i can be a beach boy in socal without all the extra expenses and hassles of hawaii and guam or live super cheap in the now open Carolinas with really nice people. For hawaii beaches style can go to key west Florida and have whiter sand and same clear water and warm winter like hawaii.
Its really lame that democrats made masks a political issue and hawaii cant be kinder to others on mainland usa. So much lack of progress and division that could have been avoided had hawaii had a tourism first priority. Saving lives is done by promoting tourism and the state and making money while welcoming everyone.
Im wondering if homelessness has increased after covid in hawaii too? Is the stste doing anything to help tenters and unemployed? What about the poor and elderly?
Renters nit tenters so much lol 😀
I spoke with a friend who owns small hotel and she has homeless and squatters all over now
I totally agree with the article from BOH. Putting aside the health v.economy debate, what is completely lacking are definitive guidance from the State of Hawaii. This constant rolling 30-day extension of the quarantine is wreaking havoc with any plans both by visitors and the tourism industry. The Governor seems to want to dangle reopening, only to pull it back. I’m booked for Maui on 10/23 but am increasingly becoming pessimistic that I’ll be able to go. If Hawaii wants to shut down until there is a vaccine, that’s their call…..but make the call, don’t waffle around.
Hawaii simply missed the boat here. We pulled the plug on a trip to Maui and the Big Island and instead went to Bermuda for a getaway. They required proof of a negative a COVID PCR test within 7 days of arrival in Bermuda before you can even apply for a travel authorization.
Upon arrival, the process was extremely efficient and they ask for our proof of negative test and authorization form which allows for contact tracing by asking for your location and plans while on the island.
Then, after immigration, baggage claim, and customs, they directed us to a tent where we got another COVID PCR test. From there, we were supposed to quarantine wherever we were staying until the test results came back. We got ours emailed within 7 hours of landing (negative thankfully) so we were free to move about the island. You are required to wear masks everywhere and socially distance. Additionally, a follow-up test is required every fourth day you are still on the island. You pay a one-time $75 fee for the testing regardless of how many times you need to be tested.
It’s a very well thought out plan and an even better one on execution. Bravo Bermuda for striking the right balance between protecting its citizens and keeping their tourism industry open for business. We’re enjoying the island immensely, and even more so knowing that the policies they have put in place are keeping both residents and visitors safe. If only Hawaii had acted when they had the chance, the islands might not be in the dire straits they are now. 🙁
Hi Jonathan.
Thanks for your comment. We enjoyed meeting you and your family when you were last here, and hope to see you again soon.
Aloha.
Sounds like Bermuda has their act together. Looks like I should start planning on spending my vacation $$$ there rather than Hawaii which is clueless….
We have said all along that Hawaii would do so much better if they got creative instead of just counting on panic and shutdowns. Thanks for posting this “sensible” solution to travel lock downs.
Aruba has a very similar program in place and has been welcoming visitors for months now.
Concrete plans to revive tourism (which equates to 30-35% of Hawaii’s economy) do not seem to be a priority with the current administration. I constantly see this argument positioned as either/or where other locations have figured out that you can have tourism *AND* keep your residents safe.
There are many examples that Hawaii could use as a model, but the government seems uninterested. I fear that many local businesses will not reopen at all at this point. The damage has been done and the impacts will be felt for years. The last estimate I saw was that hotel occupancy won’t recover until 2023. The economic ramifications of this pandemic are going to far outlive the medical ones on Hawaii.
Elections matter. It seems that Ige does not have the kahuna’s to make a decision. It’s easier to be a politician when things are going great. True leaders define themselves by how they handle themselves and support others when its not great. Same goes for our country. Elections matter and bad choices can have long term impacts.
Thanks for the timely updates.
Hi Craiger.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Hawai’i is hanging out their people to dry. Soon they will have forgotten all about the phony virus and be more focused on eating and not starving to death. Many of my friends are emptying their bank accounts paying rent and buying food. Ige should know the results of the lockdowns are much more harmful than the risk of contracting a very ordinary flu season illness.