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Will Hawaii Open To Visitors On August 1st? Maybe Not

by Steve Case
Last updated July 29, 2020

Two weeks ago, I wrote that Hawaii was planning to reopen to visitors on August 1, 2020.  In that post, I posted questions and answers that addressed Hawaii’s reopening for visitors.  If you missed the questions and answers, you can read it here.  Hawaii Governor David Ige held a meeting with Hawaii mayors last Thursday.  There was real concern about the increase of Covid-19 cases in Hawaii and the explosion of cases on the mainland.

a high angle view of a beach and a building
Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki Beach.  Photo credit: Hilton Hawaiian Village.

The Governor’s Statement

Direct from the governor’s office website is this quote from Governor David Ige on July 9th:

Governor Ige’s Statement About Ongoing COVID-19 Planning with Mayors
“The mayors and I have had productive meetings this week about the pre-travel testing program. We are assessing the current situation in Hawaiʻi and on the mainland, and we’ll make an announcement when we are satisfied that the plans will protect the health and safety of our residents and guests.”

Governor Ige is concerned about an uptick in Covid-19 cases in Hawaii.  He is alarmed about the trend of new record cases on the mainland.  

a graph of a number of people
Hawaii Covid-19 cases as of July 8, 2020. Source: Johns Hopkins University.

The chart below shows arrivals by air to Hawaii.  Air traffic to Hawaii is about dead.

a screenshot of a calendar
Hawaii airport arrivals for July 9, 2020.  Source: Hawaii Governor’s Office.

The Economic Toll

The number one source of income in Hawaii is tourism which has been virtually shut off.  Everything from hotels and restaurants to local farmers has been shut down or operating under a reduced capacity.  For the airlines, Hawaii represents a major, year-long, high revenue market.  There may be businesses that will not survive the closure to tourists.

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For the residents of Hawaii, this is a living nightmare.  Those currently receiving unemployment benefits have these concerns:

  • The CARES Act increase of $600.00 per week benefit expires on July 31, 2020,
  • Unemployment claims run for a year but the benefits only pay for 26 weeks,
  • Without a Federal extension, unemployment benefits won’t continue after the 26th payment and
  • Filing a new claim requires a recent quarterly wage history to qualify.

People Want Answers

The question that people ask me the most is when they can go to Hawaii.  My last response was August 1st but they may be in doubt.  The problem with visiting Hawaii is that it is a long-distance destination that requires advance planning and reservations.  People that have current reservations are in limbo not knowing if they need to cancel or not.  Just look at this tweet from one of those planning on a visit to Hawaii:

a screenshot of a social media post

The tweet from Roman Gokhman pretty well sums up what many people are thinking –  just tell me what I need to know and tell me now.  

Final Thoughts

Like many of you, I too have plans to visit Hawaii this year.  I also understand that the state of Covid-19 in the United States is out of control.  Travel as we used to know it will not return to any kind of normal until there is a proven vaccine for Covid-19.  Travel Codex will continue to monitor the visitor status in Hawaii and will update this story as new details come forth.

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Read This Next

  • a group of people wearing face masks
    Hawaii Reopening August 1st: Questions and Answers
  • a high angle view of a beach and a building
    Travel To Hawaii Set To Reopen August 1st With Testing Conditions
  • a group of women holding signs
    Southwest Announces Hawaii Expansion Plans

About Steve Case

Steve is a life-long avgeek and a points and miles player. The photo is from my first premium, international award flight in 2012. That is all it took, I was hooked. I used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. I am truly an "out-of-the-box" traveler which has enriched my travel experiences.

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