Over the last few weeks, we’ve all been closely monitoring the situation at many of our favorite travel destinations. While the situation at home may not be promising, many frequent travelers are hoping for the situation to improve gradually. However, it does seem like we may have to wait a little longer. Hawaii continues to be a favorite for many frequent travelers. Unfortunately, it seems like Hawaii is likely to extend travel restrictions further, gutting the hopes of many who were planning to travel there soon.
Also Read: Sorry, but travel will not return to normal any time soon
Also Read: How to predict when travel will return to normal
Hawaii Travel Restrictions
Hawaii News Now reports that Hawaii’s Governor David Ige announced that the initial plans for reopening would be revised. The Governor plans to push the reopening date to Sept 1 for a program that would have allowed trans-pacific travelers to skip quarantine requirements in Hawaii. However, the program required travelers to first test negative for Covid-19. What it essentially means is that the quarantine requirements will remain in place till the end of August.
Governor David Ige opined that the extension was in response to the surging Covid-19 case numbers in many U.S states.
This was not an easy decision to make. It really was a choice between two difficult options. We did believe it would be in the best interests of everyone here in Hawaii to delay the start of the program. I also want to make it clear that we still believe in the pre-travel testing program. We will continue to take actions necessary to implement it safely.
However, it does seem like the Sept 1st date could well be pushed out further. Currently, many Hawaii officials including Honolulu Governor Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have voiced concerns about the viability of the new plan. They state that the 72 hour pre-arrival testing plan doesn’t do enough and could possibly expose local airline, hotel and other service industry workers to the virus.
The Pundit’s Mantra
We’ve seen many popular travel destinations announce reopening plans off late, only to scale them back later. Officials are tasked with the difficult balance of prioritizing between health and economy. I won’t be surprised if officials at other tourism destinations take a similar approach. As I’ve written previously, most government officials around the world try to play it safe, so Hawaii extending its travel restrictions is pretty much following the same decision making pattern. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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