Hawaii governor welcomes tourists back two months after telling them to stay away

Hawaii governor welcomes tourists back two months after telling them to stay away | Secret Flying

Hawaii governor says tourists are welcome again.

 

Governor David Ige announced that tourists are welcome to visit Hawaii from November 1st, two months after he specifically asked vacationers to stay away while the islands dealt with rising Covid-19 cases.

 

Although the state didn’t impose any travel restrictions, Ige’s plea prompted thousands of travellers to cancel their plans to visit Hawaii.

 

Now they are welcome back again as the announcement was made at the opening ceremony for a Federal Inspection Services facility at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport.

 

“Beginning Nov. 1, we want to invite and encourage fully vaccinated visitors and residents to travel for business or leisure trans-Pacific and inter-island,” the governor said.

 

“I think we are all encouraged by what we’ve seen over the last several weeks with the continuing trend of lower case counts. Our hospitals are doing better, and we have fewer Covid patients in them.

 

“Most importantly, our health care system has responded, and we have the ability to move forward with economic recovery,” Governor Ige continued.

 

“Because of this, it is now safe for fully vaccinated residents and visitors to resume non-essential travel to and within the State of Hawaii.”

 

All travellers must still register their trips on the Safe Travels website. Vaccinated travellers or those that present a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival can avoid quarantine.

 

Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association CEO, Mufi Hannemann, credited the efforts of Hawaii island Mayor Mitch Roth for making it clear the state wants “healthy, vaccinated travellers to return to Hawaii as soon as possible.”