A Bright Moment For Hawaii And Travelers To The Islands
After another Covid winter, with much of the world shut down again due to Omicron’s relentless spread, this spring’s arrival felt particularly celebratory. Coinciding with increasing sunshine and warmer waters off the Big Island, late March marked a pivotal moment in the two-plus-year pandemic. Governor David Ige, who aptly steered Hawaii through the many challenging and unpredictable pandemic phases, announced that Hawaii would lift all travel restrictions for domestic travelers on March 26, 2022. International travelers will still have to abide by federal guidelines, but domestic visitors from the mainland are now free from any previous requirements.
A Model of Success: How Hawaii Navigated the Covid Crisis
Relative to the early days of the pandemic, when all visitors to Hawaii (both domestic and international) had to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival, this loosening of restrictions marked a significant milestone. As an island state, Hawaii had a natural advantage in that it could more easily quarantine its people, keeping locals safe before vaccines were widely accessible. The Hawaii Department of Health, which maintains an online Hawaii COVID-19 case tracker, worked with local municipalities to guide public safety. The Safe Travels program, established early on, required travelers to complete forms online, obtain QR codes, and provide proof of vaccination. This program centralized the pandemic response strategy across the various islands. It was a model of success to other states and countries, proven by the fact that Hawaii has the second-lowest COVID-19 mortality rate of the US states.
Ohana and Hawaiian Resilience Throughout the Pandemic
Even though Hawaiians showed collective poise throughout the last two years of the pandemic, it was not without difficulty. During 2019, the previous typical year before the pandemic, tourists in Hawaii spent over 17 billion dollars, making up over a fifth of the total economy. This reliable engine of tourism came to a terrifying halt when flights were grounded and hotels were shuttered during 2020 and early 2021, resulting in a staggering 34% unemployment rate throughout Hawaii at one point. But in the spirit of ohana – meaning family and integral to the island way of life – Hawaiians were resilient. They stood together during the darkest days when worldwide case counts climbed higher by the hour. On the other side of that shared sacrifice, ease of travel is now returning, and there’s never been a better time to book your long-awaited trip to Hawaii.
Join us on the Big Island as we usher in brighter days ahead!
