People are still flocking to Hawaii despite delta variant surge
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
COVID-19 cases are rising worldwide in part because of the highly transmissible delta variant. According to a New York Times tracker, the popular destination of Hawaii has seen an uptick in newly reported cases of the coronavirus, as well as hospitalizations and deaths. According to the Times, there is an average of 359 daily cases in the state.
That doesn’t appear to be putting much of a damper on travel, especially to Hawaii. The state has seen a massive boost in travel since lifting rigorous pre-travel testing requirements. Just this month, more than 110,000 travelers have been screened in the state’s Safe Travels program, and more than 5 million have visited this year.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter!
“Right now, there’s no sign in the high-frequency data that we’re tracking of a market slowdown of any kind associated with delta,” said Carl Bonham from the University of Hawaii’s Economic Research Organization, who spoke at House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness.
“There has been a jump in people searching for COVID on Google, but mobility data has not retraced; it has not gone down,” Bonham said, according to Hawaii Public Radio. “People are not going to restaurants less, at least according to OpenTable data. There’s been no sudden drop off in activity.”
Hawaii lifted several travel restrictions, which has likely made it easier for tourists to visit even with the delta variant’s surge. Vaccinated travelers are required to upload vaccination and/or testing documentation online before traveling but are no longer required to quarantine or submit to pre-travel testing. This ostensibly makes the travel far easier and quicker for those who are vaccinated against the coronavirus. TPG’s senior news editor Clint Henderson recently detailed his “easy, breezy, beautiful” travel experience to Hawaii while vaccinated.
But there are signs that Hawaii — even as it welcomes visitors — is feeling the effects of the delta variant.
Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami cautioned residents against traveling to Las Vegas and said the city was the “biggest hot spot” for bringing COVID-19 to the island. A health official said a spike in positive cases was traced to travel to Las Vegas. The state also warned that it was concerned about staffing capacity at its hospitals. And Honolulu cautioned that the city was at a “crossroad” and said it was considering requiring employees to be fully vaccinated or be subject to weekly testing.
“The prevalence and the aggressively infectious nature of the virus and its variant throughout our community has become very concerning,” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said on July 30. “People who are being infected include those who are fully vaccinated, and more and more of our children are getting sick as well.”
Featured photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.