Yesterday, local authorities said visitor arrivals in Hawaii are on the rise. And that beg’s the question – why are people still traveling for leisure?! Stay home and flatten that curve, dammit!!
By the Numbers
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, visitor arrivals into Hawaii have been trending upwards since last Thursday. And, yes, these are VISITORS coming to Hawaii, not residents. Sure, there’s a mix of both, but still.
Specifically, last Thursday, the number of visitors that landed on the islands was at 89. Friday saw 94, Saturday had 106, and Sunday was up to 126. Sunday’s total was 583, including 233 returning residents and the remainder being made up of flight crews, transit passengers, and intended residents.
WHY??
Ok, I get it. Airfare to the islands is insanely low right now, but why the hell are people coming? But even with that, it isn’t worth it, in my opinion. Nearly all the good hotels are closed, as are basically all of our attractions, including most beaches. Yes, you can still go for a swim or go surfing, but lounging on the sand is prohibited. Doing so can earn you up to a $5,000 fine or a year in prison. What’s more, all passengers arriving in Hawaii or traveling between the islands are REQUIRED to self-quarantine in their home or hotel room. So, you can’t even go for a swim if you wanted to. Sure, you could violate the orders, but, again, you could receive a $5,000 citation and/or be arrested.
Heck, Kauai has a curfew and checkpoints, and Maui announced that they’d be implementing similar controls this week too.
Why Are People Still Traveling for Leisure, Final Thoughts
Seriously, people. STAY THE F**K HOME! There is no reason to go on vacation right now. And, doing so is putting not only yourself at risk, but your family, your community, and OUR COMMUNITY. So, please, just don’t. Hawaii has an aging population and we want to protect our kupuna (elders). But we can’t really do that if visitors keep coming here.
Yes, 25% of our workforce has lost their jobs because of the downturn in business. Plus, many restaurants and other small businesses are struggling, but we all agree that we all need to stay home and flatten the curve. The sooner we get through this, the sooner we can all get back to work, back to traveling, and more. So, again, PLEASE STAY HOME!
Personally, I left my house ONCE in the past week and a half to buy groceries. That’s it. I really try not to leave the house as much as possible. Even though I miss traveling, plane spotting, dining out, etc.
Want to watch me keep myself entertained at home? Tune in to my Instagram stories as I cook, sample new finds (that I order online), and more!
But for something even more entertaining, to check out Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami’s Facebook for his hilarious, dad joke, informational videos.