In the face of visitors continuing to come to Hawaii despite having to undergo a mandated 14-day quarantine, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has created a video to help visitors understand they are welcome — just not now.
The number of visitors arriving in the state Wednesday was 107, and on Tuesday, 160. On Tuesday, 31 visitors arrived in Kona and on Wednesday, 4. But the state’s goal is to have no visitors, for now. The Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau sent a letter to travel publications, event and convention organizers, and travel writers asking them to NOT promote tourism to Hawaii right now. On Kaua’i, Mayor Derek Kawakami has issued an emergency order banning all vacation rentals because people were continuing to come. With most of the cases in Hawaii related to travel, generally returning residents exposed elsewhere, plus some visitors with COVID-19, the state wants to stop tourism, for now. The hope is this video will provide potential visitors with a welcome to the islands at some later time.