Hawaii’s COVID-19 shutdown hits tourism hard

Hawaii Gov. David Ige discusses his state’s plans to reopen and whether the travel and tourism industry can recover from the coronavirus shutdown.

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[Jack]

COME TO COLORADO! WE ARE OPEN AND WE WELCOME YOU ALL.

[Oo-lfmu]

I’m in Hawaii.... what happens when July end and August rolls around and the bonus for unemployment ends???? We can’t survive after that

[kiha]

I'm not the biggest fan of Ige, because of his clear disrespect to the Hawaiian culture and their people. While I am not Hawaiian, I was born and raised in Hawaii. Which is why it is so odd that a man of Asian decent, specifically Okinawan, who was also born and raised in Hawaii, not use his political power to encourage prosperity for the Natives of Hawaii. I mention Asian decent because most Asians are very entwined with their culture for generations even after leaving their families birth land. Culture has great importance in Hawaii, especially those of the Polynesian and Asian decent. They make the biggest impacts of the State of Hawaii's society. So a man such as Ige, would and should do more for the Natives of Hawaii.

However, the decision to shutdown for such a long period has impacted Hawaii's economy in such a negative way that so many people are unemployed and truly struggling. But statistically Hawaiians has always struggled in terms of unemployment and poverty; statistics also show that COVID-19 deaths and cases were mostly tied to those in poverty. Ige made the right decision in having this shutdown last longer because while I believe that decision was intended for the People of Hawaii (everyone in the State) and not targeted specifically for the Natives, this protected Native Hawaiians from the risk of COVID-19 and losing more Native bloodlines and I am grateful for that.

USA tends to showcase a love for animals or material items that are rare but when it comes to their own species, humans, American culture likes to turn a blind eye. Native Hawaiians are consistently ignored and the people and their culture continue to struggle to stay afloat in their own lands. While they are strong willed people, I am glad that tourism has slowed the effects that COVID-19 could have had on Native Hawaiians.

Stopping tourism didn't fully diminish the states' slow and almost non existent growing numbers of COVID-19 because in reality tourists are not our only problem. We have people in our own state, travelling out and returning home to Hawaii, risking everyone else because of their own travels to places that still have large growing numbers of the virus. I think Ige should start focusing on not just punishing tourists, but the residents who are travelling and ignoring mandatory quarantine. Shame on all you people who are too selfish to stay home after travelling and too selfish to just avoid travelling all together. People are struggling financially to pay rent or food for their families and yet there are fools spending money to travel out and return home possibly carrying the disease and spreading within our community. EMBARRASSING.

[hfredydl]

Well arresting tourists and jailing them guarantees I’ll never take my tourist dollars to Hawaii

[kittykittyhawaii]

Mahalo nui loa for screening yet how are you going to help us small businesses local owners? 5 months now as a single mother a shop & home owner HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HELP US???🤙😡

[lucienl]

I understand that governor Ige has his flaws but I do understand why he extended the quarantine law in hawaii. people seem to disagree with the quarantine laws but keep in mind he is doing this for the health and well being of the state of hawaii . Hawaii did not see and experience the true wrath of COVID 19 . The state of the world and the life of people is at risk here and all people care about is MONEY . Yes, let it be known that the unemployed are more upset that till this day there are still people waiting for a little over 3months to pay bill and get food . I feel its just the system of how it was approached and handled . If by chance hawaii had more then 20, 000 cases the island would not be able to handle it . keep in mind hawaii is in the middle of the pacific ocean and its about a 6 hr flight to the nearest land mass. Just think about this, if hawaii did not have this quarantine the entire hawaiian population would be gone . If ANYONE is familiar with the history of hawaii they would understand that no it was not guns and cannon's that wiped out the hawaiian population, it was the virus and diseases they brought to the island that killed most of them. They were no better then the rats they brought to the island. Lets not repeat that again shall we .

[Jack]

We have had many Covid cases in Colorado and yes, some deaths mostly in nursing homes. Sad! But our governor understands business and we are open for business and we welcome you all. I think Hawaii need a a new governor maybe?

[vernoncooke]

I have absolutely no desire to make a trip to Hawaii or any other place when such is the case that a 14 day quarantine is required when you arrive there.

[dskyy]

For the next decade or more, we should all be cautious about visiting Hawaii. If there are any potential outbreaks of virus, we need to protect our fellow Americans in Hawaii. Moreover, we do not want to be trapped on an island indefinitely. We should start a movement to avoid non essential travel to Hawaii until a true cure is found without any potential risk of death.

[miketexas]

We shut down tourism and tourism is hit hard
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[hothotheat]

I wonder what the long term ramifications will be on people losing jobs, losing their homes, draining their savings, etc. Hawaiian citizens weren’t exactly rich before this happened unless they came from the mainland.

[digitalneko]

Yeah you gave out a $500 restaurant cards and the Covid went up today in 3 digits. I haven’t received my unemployment checks at in 2 months! Take of priority for local businesses! My bad for voting for you the second time😡

[naustinfipecto]

Haha, I remember when Hawai'i had the virus "contained".

[staticelect.]

Inā loaʻa ka ʻuhane kēia leka ... kaʻana e hōʻike i ka poʻe ʻē aʻe ... I ka poʻe manaʻoʻiʻo a me ka poʻe manaʻoʻiʻo ʻole, "KA LĀKAI HOPE, " ua kokoke, ʻike i ka mea āu e koho ai a ʻae ai no kou ʻuhane (me kāu mau hana i ke kino), ʻo ia kou hopena mau loa ... Pono ʻoe e akahele loa pehea ʻoe koho e noho mai aneʻi ma waho! E ʻoluʻolu ʻaʻohe kino lani pumehana ma ka Lani !!! Koho i kēia manawa, i kou puʻuwai a me kou ʻuhane, ka pono a i ʻole ka hewa? !! E ʻoluʻolu i nā mea āpau, inā loaʻa ka ʻuhane i kēia leka ... kaʻana e hōʻike i nā poʻe ʻē aʻe ...



[kaisimmons]

Good no more stupid tourists making the place dirty

[shawnstam]

when all this has finished playing out you will all wish you would have done something to stop what is coming.

[kirkhathaway]

so glad that you beat up on the goodluck on your tourism

[edmsing]

Is there age discrimination practiced against women that
hope to anchor and report the news on television? No, then where are the elderly
gray headed women? They are forced to dye their hair, and if they refuse, are
simply replaced by a younger model…of which there has never been a shortage of,
as many are just waiting in the wings for a chance to pounce wherever they are wanted
or needed…

[southerncaliforniafreedom]

Yes I'm going to Hawaii and I'm going to break the rules because I want to go to jail and fight can't wait to go on next week

[jasonquerubin]

You care about the travlers more then you care about us