We’ve been closely monitoring all Hawaii news, announcements, and research and here is the latest information addressing some big questions related to the Coronavirus COVID-19 Hawaii travel.
When will Hawaii reopen for visitors?
We know that so many of our readers are anxious to know when Hawaii will be reopened for tourism. Unfortunately, the situation is still unclear.
We’re keeping a close eye for any tourism-related news and there has been some recent news speculating the reopening of tourism:
- Tourism leaders urge state recovery plan from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. This article discusses the need for protocols to be put in place to facilitate the reopening of tourism in a manner that’s safe for the community, workforce and visitor. The individuals interviewed seem to indicate that there’s uncertainty around when the 14-day quarantine or any quarantine will be lifted even though it is currently in effect until June 30, 2020. They are recommending:
“COVID-19 passenger testing and apps allowing for contact tracing available before tourism reopens. But if that’s months out, they urge leaders to consider allowing Hawaii’s visitor industry to reopen sooner under new safety protocols — everything from extra cleaning to social-distancing measures like conducting more online business, blocking out hotel rooms or floors to space out customers, and reconfiguring restaurants and other common areas.”
“UHERO says the most optimistic models show tourists being welcomed back at the end of July. But Bonham cautions that is the best-case scenario and depends heavily on screening, testing and tracing abilities of the state.”
As you can see, the situation is hypothetical at the moment. Nobody knows when it is safe to plan a Hawaii vacation. We know that this is frustrating for everyone. At least there is some glimmer of hope in that tourism officials are discussing reopening and starting to formulate ideas towards those plans. We’re hoping that the situation will become more clear as we progress through May.
What the hotels are “saying” about reopening?
We were interested in seeing what some of the major hotels are planning for reopening and when they are accepting reservations. Bear in mind that all the following information is very much subject to change. Here’s a sampling of what we found from some of the largest hotels on each of the four major Hawaiian islands when we checked on May 5th:
Hilton Hawaiian Village (Waikiki, Oahu) – closed, but accepting reservations starting June 1, 2020. Link to their COVID-19 update page.
Disney Aulani (Ko Olina, Oahu) – closed until further notice. Link to their travel advisory message.
Four Seasons Oahu (Ko Olina, Oahu) – closed until June 1, 2020. Link to their homepage which has a statement about their opening status with regards to COVID-19.
Turtle Bay Resort (on North Shore of Oahu) – closed through June 30, 2020. Link to their COVID-19 update page.
Grand Hyatt Kauai (Poipu, Kauai) – closed now and accepting reservations starting June 1, 2020. Link to their homepage with their COVID-19 statements.
Grand Wailea (Wailea, Maui) – The first reservations we could find are starting July 1, 2020. Link to the blanket corporate statement regarding their response to COVID-19.
Hyatt Regency Maui – closed, but accepting reservations starting May 24, 2020. (Note that the current 14-day quarantine order is in effect through May 31, 2020.) Link to their homepage with their COVID-19 statement/policies.
Hilton Waikoloa Village (Waikoloa, Hawaii (Big) Island) – closed, but accepting reservations starting June 1, 2020. Link to their COVID-19 advisory page.
So, from this sampling of some of the largest hotels in Hawaii, we see hotels beginning to accept reservations as soon as May 24 and as late as July 1, 2020.
Once again, all those dates are subject to change.
Is the Coronavirus COVID-19 coming under control in Hawaii?
The good news is that yes, the curve has flattened! In recent days there have only been one or two new cases per day across the entire state. As of data reported through midday May 4, 2020, a cumulative total of 621 cases have been identified with 548 of those being released from isolation. On the island of Kauai, they’ve had a total of 21 cases and all of them have been released from isolation.
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Just a reminder:
Hawaii continues their mandatory 14-day quarantine of all incoming visitors and residents. It is not recommended that visitors travel to Hawaii at this time. The current quarantine order is in effect until June 30, 2020. Government officials haven’t indicated if there may be an extension of that quarantine or perhaps a different quarantine duration after June 30, 2020. We’ll continue to watch and see what unfolds.
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This situation is very much evolving and subject to change. Check our homepage, GoVisitHawaii.com, for ongoing updates.
