Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program for domestic travelers will come to a close on Mar. 26, informed Governor David Ige Tuesday.
Visitors will no longer need to register on the Safe Travels program, present a vaccine certificate or a negative COVID-19 test to avoid mandatory isolation.
The 5-day quarantine imposed on unvaccinated tourists or those unable to produce a negative test is also being lifted.
Safe Travels Program “played a key role in keeping Hawaii’s residents safe before vaccinations were widely available and during the surges we’ve seen through this pandemic,” said Hawaii Tourism Authority President John De Fries.
“Bringing the Safe Travels program to a close reflects the progress we have made as a state, and Governor Ige’s decision is a good balance of maintaining reasonable health precautions while reopening our society and economy.”
Those arriving in Hawaii on direct international flights must still meet federal entry requirements. These include proof of an updated vaccine certificate together with a pre-departure COVID-19 test result taken within one day of travel.
The statewide indoor mask mandate will remain in effect until further notice. Officials will continue to review the need for this requirement, Ige said.
“Masks will continue to be required for indoor workplaces and airports even with Safe Travels and employee vaccination and testing requirements going away,” Ige said. “The pandemic is not over.”
The Safe Access Oahu program, run by the City and County of Honolulu, will be lifted on Sunday, Mar. 6.
Hawaii has decided to ease COVID-19 restrictions because cases and hospitalizations have been declining after a severe wave of Omicron infections.
The state has some of the tightest travel restrictions of any state, resulting in relatively low Covid-19 figures compared to other states.