October 15 marked one year since Hawaiʻi’s Safe Travels program was established. The program is described as a multilayered process designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
This enhanced entry into Hawai‘i includes: a Mandatory State of Hawai‘i Travel and Health Form; a Safe Travels Hawai‘i account; and a mandatory 10-day quarantine with the option of a vaccination exception program or a negative pre-travel test to bypass quarantine.
Back in August, Governor David Ige urged residents and visitors to refrain from non-essential travel through the end of October. With Nov. 1 on the horizon, leisure travel is set to resume, but the state’s Safe Travels program remains in place.
Last week, Gov. Ige announced he was giving the green light to non-essential travel for fully vaccinated residents and visitors traveling domestically and between islands for business or pleasure, starting Nov. 1. “I think we are all encouraged by what we’ve seen over the last several weeks with the continuing trend of lower case counts,” said Gov. Ige in a press release.
“We look forward to our economic recovery and the return of visitors is one more step in our progress towards a new normal,” said County of Maui Managing Director, Sandy Baz.
County of Maui Managing Director, Sandy Baz said he expects the Safe Travels program to be in place “for quite a while.” In a Tuesday press briefing Baz said, “Lieutenant Governor [Josh] Green has said that despite the statewide vaccination rate of 73%, the program will be extended at least through the end of the holiday season.”
Baz spoke on behalf of Mayor Michael Victorino, who is out of town on county business, saying, “Mayor Victorino thanks the hospitality industry for their support of the safety protocols and these revised rules. The hospitality industry [goes] far beyond resort and hotels, and includes many family owned activity companies, restaurants, and many other businesses that are impacted, and are supportive of visitors.”
“They have worked diligently to protect their staff as well as their guests with a challenging