Tourism in Hawaii slowly recovering, more than 250K travelers visited in January

Hawaii tourism recovering

The Hawaii tourism industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are signs of recovery.

Statistics from the Hawaii Tourism Authority show that 232,607 people visited the state between Jan. 1 and Jan. 28, putting arrivals on pace to reach 250,000 by the end of the month. In comparison, only 235,793 people visited the islands in December.

While an estimated increase of 15,000 tourists may seem small, any uptick in visitors is welcome news for the state’s struggling tourism industry.

Due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, Hawaii arrivals were down 74% in 2020 compared to the previous year. However, the government implemented the Safe Travels program in October, and tourist numbers have been slowly increasing ever since.

Under the initiative, out-of-state American visitors are allowed to bypass mandatory quarantine restrictions by obtaining a negative COVID-19 test result from a trusted provider within 72 hours of travel. Visitors who choose not to get tested must quarantine for 10 days at an approved location and download the Alohasafe contact-tracing app.

The Safe Travels program, which applies to individuals visiting Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Molokai and Lanai, was extended to travelers from Japan on Nov. 6. It will be made available to visitors from South Korea beginning Feb. 6.

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Kauai opted out of the initiative and launched its own entry program on Jan. 5. Under its plan, trans-Pacific passengers who present proof of a pre-travel negative COVID-19 test must stay on another Hawaiian island for at least three days before going to Kauai. Alternatively, they can quarantine for three days at an approved “resort bubble” property on Kauai and get a second negative test result before gaining free access to the island.

Despite the pandemic, tourists who venture to Hawaii will have plenty to see. The state opened more attractions in January, including the Maui Ocean Center, the Polynesian Cultural Center and Hawaii national parks.

Several other popular attractions, including the USS Arizona Memorial, reopened in the fall.

While thousands of tourists are taking advantage of the Safe Travels and Kauai programs each month, some officials believe a statewide travel policy would be better for tourism. In January, Hawaii House Speaker Scott Saiki, a Democrat, introduced a bill that would replace the current patchwork of policies with a single set of rules.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Josh Green is pushing for the creation of a vaccination passport program that would allow vaccinated travelers to bypass most of the state’s travel restrictions. The success of the plan would depend on how quickly Hawaii and other U.S. states are able to administer vaccines and whether the vaccines successfully stem the spread of COVID-19.

In an effort to speed up Hawaii’s vaccination program, officials opened two mass vaccination clinics in Honolulu at the end of January. As of Feb. 1, the state has administered 135,836 of the 227,400 vaccine doses it has received, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Honolulu, Hawaii