This is a devastating time for Hawaii. Tourism has ruled these island for a century, and with 75% of all economic growth coming from vacationers, tourism-related jobs, and profits, unfortunately Hawaii has put all her apples in one basket...and it's cost her!
With an unemployment rate of almost 40%. Hawaii’s economic lifeline has been cut! If Hawaii continues down this path, there is great uncertainty that when Hawaii does re-open to visitors, it will look drastically different than the way it was before the virus closed it. We want our guests and visitors to be aware of this before tourism is opened again to the islands. This is NEW TERRITORY for all of us, and accepting the words "NEW NORMAL" will be hard to do, but if we do the right things, we won't need to do "NEW”. Instead, we will just need to do DIFFERENT!
Hawaii isn't going anywhere, and it's more beautiful than ever since we have been giving our islands time to HEAL from the large footprint of overtourism. In the history of Hawaii, this experiment in tourism that is taking place right now has never happened! We see all too clearly now the effects tourism has had on the islands since it’s is no longer here. Since COVID-19, what we have realized is that we DON'T need more tourists...we need BETTER tourists!
What we have learned is that tourism may bring lots of people, but not enough of those people are spending to support all the visitors. Tourists are simply not leaving much behind at their destination when they leave Hawaii...they may be filling the islands up, but what are they doing to leave Hawaii in better shape environmentally and financially after they go back home from their 2 week vacations?
Hawaii will be looking at this solid research and starting to enact hard choices and decisions for the future of tourism...Not as many people will be allowed in Hawaii, but those who are let in will bring more money to Hawaii, spending it in the local economy and in the nonprofits of Hawaii, so that when they leave, they leave Hawaii in better shape than when they landed! They ACTUALLY become a part of Hawaii's ohana!
The limiting of low-quality tourism will soon begin. Instead of allowing an uncontrolled amount of 30-40K tourists in a month to Hawaii who will use Hawaii for several weeks and then leave it in worse shape than when they came, the state will be looking at allowing 15-20K high quality tourists who will spend within the local community, as well as donate and support local Nonprofits and infrastructure to ensure the sustainability of the tourism business for Hawaii's future.
TOURISM is about to become MORE EXPENSIVE!
The State and Tourism Authority has ALSO recently released its NEW SLOGAN for those who WILL BE traveling to Hawaii once it re-opens for Tourism...
It’s called: “TRAVEL WITH ALOHA”, but truthfully this is not the term that should be used by the Tourism Authority...Coming from those who actually live here and breathe the Aloha Life, the term locals feel that all travelers should use is:
“TRAVEL WITH KULEANA”
(Travel with Responsibility)
If you "Travel with Responsibility" when you return to Hawaii and show consideration to the locals and the Native Hawaiian people and give back, you don’t need to travel with Aloha because Aloha would have been earned. Once the local people see how you have treated them and their islands, they will give you ALOHA!
We wanted to write this blog to ensure that travelers know and understand the future of tourism in Hawaii and how it will change once the current 14-day quarantine is lifted here on the islands. For the time being, it looks like we will be doing testing for COVID-19 before you get on your plane and after you land in Hawaii. If you refuse the test for the virus, even if the 14-DAY QUARANTINE has been lifted, that refusal of the test will re-instate your 14-Day Quarantine. So, if you had two weeks of vacation planned in Hawaii, you can now consider it terminated!
From insider information of state workers and hotel managers, Hawaii appears to be primed to open 100% locally come FORTH OF JULY WEEKEND. The PILOT PROGRAM for COVID-19 Airport testing and approval with FAA, CDC and the Federal Government will be a 6 – 9 week program that will last into August 2020. By these time frames, all necessary precautions should be in place to open Tourism to Hawaii in SEPTEMBER or OCTOBER 2020. This is not confirmed, but from those on the ground we have these tentative dates to once again be booking for Hawaii Travel.
HOWEVER, Hawaii has no intentions on become complacent on COVID-19, as the State has done a phenomenal job in curtailing the virus in our state making it VIRTUALLY EMPTY OF TOURISM today! The State will be on the lookout of any signs of a SECOND WAVE. If a second wave was to steamroll the Mainland between the months of September through December 2020, Hawaii could be shut down all over again. All we can do is hold our breath, watch and see...and let HAWAII HEAL in the meantime.
We here at Hawaii Jeep & Specialty Tours will weather this storm, and we’ll be here when you return to vacation in Hawaii...
We have always been the perfect local niche Tour business...A family run business that is personal, private and customizable! These types of small eco-friendly tours are the future...Van and bus tours will no longer exist, nor be welcomed in the new POST-COVID WORLD. The future will be based on QUALITY over QUANTITY, and those in the industry as well as those who intend on vacationing need to either embrace that or be left behind in the new future of Traveling to the Hawaiian Islands.
Nothing will be changing with us...We have been set up for this kind of contingency all along...it was our business model from day one...QUALITY over QUANTITY! We’ll continue to be the #1 Hawaii Jeep Tour Company in Hawaii and continue to bring you to the most beautiful and amazing secluded places our islands can offer. As always, safety and fun will be our top priorities. We will also guarantee your tour with us, and if safety concerns do arise or a Second Wave of Covid-19 hits, you will be protected with us! You can re-book, get a Voucher, or receive a 100% Refund at any time!
Hawaii Jeep & Specialty Tours will start to take reservations when we move to TIER FOUR OF OUR LOCKDOWN here in Hawaii. We will START TO DO TOURS once we EXIT TIER FOUR of our LOCKDOWN Restrictions for the safety of our Staff and our Guests. If you wish to start booking up to a YEAR OUT please email us and we'll let you know when we can start doing tours again!
AT THIS TIME...Our Booking Calendar is SHUT DOWN as well as our BUSINESS. All booking must happen through EMAIL for 2021 and BEYOND, which is when we will have the SOFT RE-LAUNCH of our Business!
2021 & 2022 will be TRANSITIONAL YEARS for all of us...
2023 will be the year of Renewal...at that time our BOOKING PAGE and CALENDAR will be Fully Activate and open for FULL BOOKINGS starting JANUARY 1st, 2023!
If you are interested in booking your Specialty Jeep Tour with us, please email us directly at: hawaiijeepandspecialtytours@gmail.com and let us know about your travel plans in the new COVID WORLD so we can work with you to ensure you not only have the trip of a lifetime, but a safe one in Hawaii as well.
Aloha from everyone here at Hawaii Jeep & Specialty Tours...BE SAFE!
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