[Closed - new thread started] Will Hawaii Open by [OCTOBER???] [Please use this thread for all Hawaii Coronavirus discussions]

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I think that many heavily tourist-impacted locales, not just Hawaii (e.g., Venice), will use this as an opportunity to modify or reconfigure tourism activities.

Time will show how well the succeed, and what trade-offs they are willing to make.

 

[Tamaradarann]

I might be simplistic here, but the impression I got with respect to the desire to reduce rental cars wasn't about reducing the NUMBER of tourists, it was about reducing the IMPACT of tourists by reducing traffic and parking and congestion. Yes, a car is helpful. But if, for instance, they develop good effective shuttles between hotels and Lahaina, for instance, perhaps the congestion there can be significantly reduced by people coming for dinner or shopping or whatever by shuttle instead of their rental car. I don't think their plan is to leave people stranded. I think it is to replace the dependence on rental cars with friendlier alternatives.

That would be great but how would it be paid for? Providing a free shuttle service costs money which Maui and Hawaii doesn't have any of after this virus has ruined their economy. Honolulu has an excellent bus system which is usually very utilized. However, before we left in late March buses were riding empty or with 1 or 2 people on it due to the virus. Will people go back to buses in Honolulu like before? We usually ride them all the time when we are there, however, we are skepical about riding them when we go back.

 

[MOXJO7282]

I'm hopeful but also believe that things will largely go back to normal at some point. Not sure when though.

 

[csodjd]

Well we have 34,600 HGVC points and 86,500 RCI points, and usually over 1,000,000 Hilton Honors Points. We have never paid for nights on the 4 main Hawaiian Islands but have hopped over to Molokai and Lanai for a few nights in between. We had also had built up probably a years worth of points from the previous year when we started doing this in 2009.

We mostly stay in Studios in Honolulu using HGVC points, but have booked RCI weeks in a Studios and 1 BRs on all 4 Hawaiian Islands. As you know Studios are only 2200 points a week during Platinum Season. At times we have used the Hilton Honors Points for a few nights to get us to the next timeshare reservation.

However, recently we have been borrowing from the next year since as I have mentioned before that we now own a Leasehold Unit at the Wailana that we are currently renting. It is right across the street from the Hilton Hawaiian Village so location wise it is the same as being in the HHV. We had planned on moving in this fall until this coronavirus fiasco turned the plan into an unknown future.

I guess I could probably pull much of that off, and at least stay 2 - 2 1/2 months. But there may be an insurmountable obstacle that whenever I think about staying a long time I'm forgetting about. My dogs. Can't exactly show up at the Lagoon Tower with three dogs in tow.

 

[NTP66]

Tell that to my credit card. We spend a lot.

Same here. I don't go on vacation to keep the same mundane routine that I do at home, cooking my own meals, etc. I also disagree that timeshare owners and VRBO/AirBNB are anything alike, really. The latter are much more likely to spend far less on their overall vacation, IME.

I canceled our big trip for June, which gutted me, as we were bringing our family along so that my wife and I could renew our vows. The second a vaccine is available, I'll plan a return trip to Maui without hesitation.

 

[Tamaradarann]

I guess I could probably pull much of that off, and at least stay 2 - 2 1/2 months. But there may be an insurmountable obstacle that whenever I think about staying a long time I'm forgetting about. My dogs. Can't exactly show up at the Lagoon Tower with three dogs in tow.

Having animals is certainly a negative for travelling or more specifically traveling long term. When we started travelling to hawaii for the winter we had a cat which our adult Son took care of at our house since he lived home. However, a cat is easier than a dog. If you have someone related or a good friend who loves your dogs and will take care of them when you are away that would work. I say loves your dogs because watching after dogs for months has to be a love situation since it is quite a commitment.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Same here. I don't go on vacation to keep the same mundane routine that I do at home, cooking my own meals, etc. I also disagree that timeshare owners and VRBO/AirBNB are anything alike, really. The latter are much more likely to spend far less on their overall vacation, IME.

I don't cook meals or clean up the kitchen, my husband does that. We stay so long that we could not afford to spend money on restaurants for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner everyday. However, being in Honolulu is very different than being home so that our day is certainly NOT the same mundane routine.

I agree with you that Timeshare Owners and VRBO/Air BNB are not alike. My previous comment, restated below, gives some of my thoughts on VRBO/AirBNB's. Particularly now when Hotels will be desparate for tourists to stay in business, pay taxes and reemploy people as well as timehares that will be desparate for tourists to stay viable, pay taxes, and reemployee people.

"That is an interesting thought that the Air BNB and VRBO tourists are the ones they are trying to prohibit. Well they have been trying to crack down on those before the virus since many of them evade the taxes. Stiffening that enforcement might be good."

 

[csodjd]

Having animals is certainly a negative for travelling or more specifically traveling long term. When we started travelling to hawaii for the winter we had a cat which our adult Son took care of at our house since he lived home. However, a cat is easier than a dog. If you have someone related or a good friend who loves your dogs and will take care of them when you are away that would work. I say loves your dogs because watching after dogs for months has to be a love situation since it is quite a commitment.

Especially since we are picking up an 8wk old Golden Retriever on Wednesday.

 

[critterchick]

Having animals is certainly a negative for travelling or more specifically traveling long term. When we started travelling to hawaii for the winter we had a cat which our adult Son took care of at our house since he lived home. However, a cat is easier than a dog. If you have someone related or a good friend who loves your dogs and will take care of them when you are away that would work. I say loves your dogs because watching after dogs for months has to be a love situation since it is quite a commitment.

We have managed to be away for up to a month (2 dogs and 5 cats at home) because our petsitter is a goddess. She moves in for the duration, will sometimes take the dogs to her place overnight if she has something going on there and it's generally a seamless process. But we've had two cats have to be euthanized while we were gone, and that was horrible for her and for us. We're sending her to Kauai for a week once travel is relatively normal again. It was supposed to be in October but, with none of her clients travelling, she can't afford the incidentals (we're providing the lodging and airfare).

 

[Tamaradarann]

We have managed to be away for up to a month (2 dogs and 5 cats at home) because our petsitter is a goddess. She moves in for the duration, will sometimes take the dogs to her place overnight if she has something going on there and it's generally a seamless process. But we've had two cats have to be euthanized while we were gone, and that was horrible for her and for us. We're sending her to Kauai for a week once travel is relatively normal again. It was supposed to be in October but, with none of her clients travelling, she can't afford the incidentals (we're providing the lodging and airfare).

Wow, 2 Dogs and 5 cats that you don't own for a month and had to euthanize 2 of the cats. That is a nice thank you sending her to Kauai for a month with airfair and some cash to cover her incidentals.

 

[csodjd]

We have managed to be away for up to a month (2 dogs and 5 cats at home) because our petsitter is a goddess. She moves in for the duration, will sometimes take the dogs to her place overnight if she has something going on there and it's generally a seamless process. But we've had two cats have to be euthanized while we were gone, and that was horrible for her and for us. We're sending her to Kauai for a week once travel is relatively normal again. It was supposed to be in October but, with none of her clients travelling, she can't afford the incidentals (we're providing the lodging and airfare).

I had a beloved dog (5 yo English Setter) collapse while I was in Yosemite with my wife and daughter. Will on a horse ride I had to give the okay to a surgeon to put him down. Not a fun trip to Yosemite.

We too have a pet sitter. A wonderful sweat young college student. 3 dogs and a cat. We give her $70/day to stay at hour house and take care of them.

 

[slip]

I am going to post this here since it is nothing confirmed but this blog is by a tour business owner on Oahu that I have been following for quite a few years. He also has a podcast.

This does have a timeline that does fit the vague talk by Governor Ige.

https://www.hawaiijeepandspecialtytours.com/post/pandemic-in-paradise

 

[Yellowfin]

This is why it is so complicated:

Where stakeholders stand on pre-flight COVID testing

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Requiring COVID testing prior to boarding flights to Hawaii could help reopen safe travel for visitors and locals. But key hurdles are blocking the pre-test efforts. Always…

www.khon2.com

 

[csodjd]

This is why it is so complicated:

Where stakeholders stand on pre-flight COVID testing

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Requiring COVID testing prior to boarding flights to Hawaii could help reopen safe travel for visitors and locals. But key hurdles are blocking the pre-test efforts. Always…

www.khon2.com

The opinion of the AG's office aside, I see nothing there that's complicated. The article bounces around making it SEEM complicated. But it isn't necessary to make testing before boarding a flight a legal requirement or a requirement at all. It should be entirely voluntary. Nobody HAS to be tested. But, if you're not, you must quarantine upon arrival. That's a powerful incentive to choose to be tested. Hawaii offers you two opportunities to be tested and avoid quarantine. Before you fly over, and upon arrival. In the former, you control timing, who does it, and you KNOW your outcome before you step on the plane. It would be pretty stupid to not take that opportunity. But if you choose not to, you get a second chance when you arrive. There would be voluntary testing available at the airport. You must quarantine until the results are in. If you are positive, 14-days. If negative, your quarantine ends. And, of course, if you choose not to be tested at either opportunity, 14-days.

That's not complex. It is entirely voluntary. It requires only modification to the public health orders, not the passage of any new laws. It doesn't require the airlines to do anything. But since the airlines have a strong economic incentive for people to feel safe going to Hawaii, they have every reason to help Hawaii carry out their system.

 

[JanT]

Interesting blog post. I'm not sure why but I feel slightly offended at it's tone. The nice thing about it is I've been to Hawaii - several times -and don't need to go back. I'd love to and I don't mind being responsible, don't mind being tested, etc. More than willing to do those things. But, I do mind basically being told that tourists will eventually be allowed back but only if they're willing to spend a lot of money. We've pumped our fair share of money into Hawaii when we go there and have done so willingly, not because we feel like our arm is being twisted to do so. Hawaii may be off the table for us for a long time (or forever). I don't know, maybe I just got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

I am going to post this here since it is nothing confirmed but this blog is by a tour business owner on Oahu that I have been following for quite a few years. He also has a podcast.

This does have a timeline that does fit the vague talk by Governor Ige.

https://www.hawaiijeepandspecialtytours.com/post/pandemic-in-paradise

 

[NTP66]

I didn't care for the tone, either. That said, we spend plenty in Maui and will continue to do so. Just have to ignore comments like that.

 

[slip]

Yes, part of the blog post does echo some of the talk, I believe it was Maui’s Mayor was saying. I really don’t believe that is possible and I was more interested in the timeline. That sounds like the timeline I was thinking while listening to the Governors talks. We’ll see if it turns out to be close.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Thanks for sharing. The timeline seems reasonable, but will see if this actually comes to pass. I can see the appeal of changing the nature of tourism, but i wonder if they can really pull that off quickly...

 

[Tamaradarann]

The opinion of the AG's office aside, I see nothing there that's complicated. The article bounces around making it SEEM complicated. But it isn't necessary to make testing before boarding a flight a legal requirement or a requirement at all. It should be entirely voluntary. Nobody HAS to be tested. But, if you're not, you must quarantine upon arrival. That's a powerful incentive to choose to be tested. Hawaii offers you two opportunities to be tested and avoid quarantine. Before you fly over, and upon arrival. In the former, you control timing, who does it, and you KNOW your outcome before you step on the plane. It would be pretty stupid to not take that opportunity. But if you choose not to, you get a second chance when you arrive. There would be voluntary testing available at the airport. You must quarantine until the results are in. If you are positive, 14-days. If negative, your quarantine ends. And, of course, if you choose not to be tested at either opportunity, 14-days.

That's not complex. It is entirely voluntary. It requires only modification to the public health orders, not the passage of any new laws. It doesn't require the airlines to do anything. But since the airlines have a strong economic incentive for people to feel safe going to Hawaii, they have every reason to help Hawaii carry out their system.

I think you lay out an excellent plan and I would endorse it if I was the Governor. If would certainly get me ready for our September trip to Honolulu.

However, after reading your plan I read what the Governor, Attorney General, and Director of the Department of Health said and my husband and I are ready to scrap our September plans and start to focus on a possible mid November trip.

 

[csodjd]

I think you lay out an excellent plan and I would endorse it if I was the Governor. If would certainly get me ready for our September trip to Honolulu.

However, after reading your plan I read what the Governor, Attorney General, and Director of the Department of Health said and my husband and I are ready to scrap our September plans and start to focus on a possible mid November trip.

I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet. There's going to be a lot of pressure on government officials to be careful, but not paranoid. This entire crisis is now about 3 months old. September is still another 3+ months away. We all have a time distortion because it feels like this has been going on forever. But it's really "only" been 3 months. I can't imagine that if all the rest of, really, mostly of the world is back operating and allowing tourists in, that Hawaii will still be saying no given the enormous detrimental impact it has and will have on so many Hawaiians. Remember that the Federal unemployment bonus money ends at the end of July. At that point a lot of people will start getting rather desperate. Seems to me a Sept target date is being very conservative and allowing a lot of time, especially given that Hawaii has as little problem as any state in the US.

My step-daughter is scheduled to get married there in November. Our only concern is the allowable size of a gathering. Not terribly concerned that we won't be able to go without quarantine.

 

[DeniseM]

I think that the primary event that has to come to pass is getting the equipment installed in the airports to monitor travelers as they arrive. The state spokesperson said it will take a minimum of 2 months, but since the funding was just approved 10 days ago, that sounds like an "aspirational" statement.

*Before the pandemic, I have never heard "aspirational" used this way but it seems to be a new pet word. If you read between the lines, I think it refers to a goal that is unrealistic. (I'm talking about the use of the word "aspirational" - not the equipment installation.)

 

[csodjd]

I think that the primary event that has to come to pass is getting the equipment installed in the airports to monitor travelers as they arrive. The state spokesperson said it will take a minimum of 2 months, but since the funding was just approved 10 days ago, that sounds like an "aspirational" statement.

*Before the pandemic, I have never heard "aspirational" used this way but it seems to be a new pet word. If you read between the lines, I think it refers to a goal that is unrealistic. (I'm talking about the use of the word "aspirational" - not the equipment installation.)

You may be correct, but they sure got that thermal imaging equipment operational at various airports quickly back in March. Heck, they can easily check an entire airplane's passengers one at a time with a modern forehead device before the first bags show up in the baggage claim area if they need to. So I hope that's not an excuse for delaying the process.

[Removed, because some people may take it as political.]

 

[MOXJO7282]

So how does an island like St Thomas open June 1st and Hawaii stays closed? I have to believe ST Thomas is as much or more vulnerable than Maui but they are ready to open to visitors. If the trends continue I have to believe Hawaii will have to open back up in July or face pressures to do so if these other islands open up without consequences.

 

[DeniseM]

St. Thomas is not in the US and may have more risk tolerance. Also - do 30K people per day land on St. Thomas? (I really don't know.)

 

[MOXJO7282]

St. Thomas is not in the US and may have more risk tolerance. Also - do 30K people per day land on St. Thomas? (I really don't know.)

Its a US territory with a less than stellar healthcare and smaller so couldn't have 30k but they're not waiting for a testing as is no other location.