John Derrick has one Online guide He has been traveling to Hawaii for nearly 20 years, so he’s used to answering questions about the destination. But these days the questions he gets at GuideofUS Hawaii are a little more complicated.
At what age do children have to be tested? Does my Covid-19 vaccination count for anything? Will my large family break the safe gathering rules? If I already had CoronavirusAm i good to go
“It really feels like you need a doctorate in Hawaii Safe Travels to analyze all of the information,” Derrick said.
Hawaii essentially closed its borders to travel in March by requiring a 14-day quarantine for anyone who flew in; Officer told people not to come, and violators were arrested.
After seven severe months and several Delays, the State opened again In mid-October with a program that allows visitors to bypass today’s 10-day quarantine and perform a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of departure. These tests must be done by government approved partners to count those “Safe Travel” Program.
[Hawaii is open to tourists. Here’s what locals want you to know before you go.]
Now, the tourism-dependent destination is trying to balance the security of its communities, some of which have limited resources for sick residents, with the economic boom that more visitors would bring. It is not an easy task.
Derrick said he goes through the county’s websites and the state’s tourism website every day to find out what travelers need to know.
“Most of the visitors I know are not going to visit 12 different websites to find out what the guidelines are,” he said.
Potential travelers must meet a number of requirements depending on where they are going and how they are going to get there. New rules emerge and there are more potential changes to come as some elected officials find their way.
Maui started earlier this month require Visitors can either download an exposure notification app or enable their exposure notification setting on their mobile phone; Anyone who refuses must be quarantined.
Do you want to travel between islands? In most cases, another test is required to avoid quarantine – but not if you are driving to Oahu. Travelers traveling there from another Hawaiian island do not need a test and do not need to be quarantined.
Kauai moved out of the Safe Travels program late last year but created its own plan that went into effect this month. This allows people to test before arriving from outside the state, stay in an approved “resort bubble” for three days and then test again to escape quarantine. These pre-arrival tests do not need to be performed with government-approved partners.
Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort participates in Kauai’s “Resort Bubble”. Travelers who tested negative for the coronavirus prior to leaving for Hawaii can stay until they receive another negative test three days after arriving. (Courtesy Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort)
To complicate Additionally, travelers arriving to Kauai from Oahu, Maui County, or the island of Hawaii who have been in the state for more than 72 hours can skip the quarantine if they take a pre-travel test from an approved state partner. This test must be completed within 72 hours of leaving for Kauai.
“It’s always changing, it’s always evolving,” said Sharolyn Kawakami, resort manager at Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort in Kauai, where the rules are toughest. “It’s very difficult for the consumer to keep track of all of this.”
Vikram Seshadri, a travel consultant from Global Travel Collection, created a cheat sheet for clients. He tells them the websites they need to visit, the forms they need to fill out, the state-approved tests, and what to expect when they arrive. (For example: prepare to constantly provide evidence of your negative test.)
“You don’t play around,” he said. “It’s a lot for customers to know. It gets a bit of a chore, and trying to walk them through this process can be a little daunting. “
Seshadri, who lives in Northern California, said he hadn’t booked anyone on Hawaii trips when the mandatory 14-day quarantine was in place. But he started Thanksgiving for a couple of weeks himself and now has a handful of customers on vacation and more are arriving in the coming weeks.
Manele Bay from a room in the Four Seasons Lanai on Lanai last year. (Courtesy Vikram Seshadri)
For travelers who are only on the road for four or five days, he doesn’t recommend Kauai due to its testing requirements.
“They’re stuck on the property for three days,” he said. “It’s kind of a defeat to purpose to go to this incredibly pristine island where nature is at the center.”
[Hawaii will reopen to tourists Oct. 15 — with some conditions]
Kawakami, the resort manager of Ko’a Kea, said guests who participate in the resort bubble program still relax by the pool, have a socially distant cocktail party at the pool bar, do laps around the property, and hang out with Mai Tais Watch the sunset. The BeachHowever, this is forbidden, and guests in the bubble will be kept separate from locals or visitors who have already completed their tests.
She said the priority is making sure guests, staff and the community are safe even as the resort copes with a significant drop in tourism.
“We have to be able to serve and protect everyone,” said Kawakami. “We are honored to give guests the space to relax and enjoy as much sunshine and our resort as possible.”
At least one Hawaii lawmaker is pushing for an end to local disparities in travel restrictions. House Speaker Scott Saiki, a Democrat, tabled a bill this week to make the rules uniform across the country.
“Travel guidelines have become confusing not only for Hawaiian residents but also for people planning to visit Hawaii,” he said. Saiki said he believed the state would see more visitors if the guidelines were “clearer and more consistent”.
Also potentially on the horizon: an exception for vaccinated travelers. Lt. Governor Josh Green, a state doctor and liaison officer, has suggested that people who receive both doses of the vaccine and wait another 14 days should be allowed to visit without testing or quarantine. The plan has yet to be approved by the governor, and it hangs on a big question still under investigation: whether vaccinated people can spread the virus.
If research shows the vaccine is stopping transmission, Green said he would envision developing the new inter-island travel plan first, and then for people from outside Hawaii.
[Hawaii’s new remote-work program will cover your airfare in exchange for volunteering]
“If all goes well, we can do this sometime in mid to late March so people can travel to paradise more freely,” he said. Green said he also hoped for a more uniform set of rules for travel.
“My advice is to get vaccinated and expect the Hawaiian rules to simplify and improve as spring begins,” he said. “Prepare for a pre-test if you are not vaccinated.”
Meanwhile, some travelers find the restrictions prohibitive.
Seshadri said a couple he worked with postponed a trip from March 2020 to September to December before finally canceling it. He said they plan to revisit the trip once the restrictions are lifted and they are vaccinated.
“Vacation should give you peace of mind,” he said. “If you’re stressed out by the time you’re there, it’s not worth it.”
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