Hawaii expects to welcome up to 8,000 arrivals a day when the state’s pre-travel testing program gets underway in mid-October.
That will enable travelers to avoid the current mandatory quarantine if they arrive with a negative Covid-19 test.
Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who is overseeing the testing program, predicts 5,000-8,000 daily tourist arrivals within a short time frame.
That compares to 27,000 average daily arrivals before the pandemic.
"This program adds an extra layer of security. Right now, nobody is getting a test before traveling. We have to begin the economy again. People are suffering," Green said.
All adult travelers must register for the Safe Travels program on safetravels.hawaii.gov, and all travelers aged over 5 years must have a negative Covid-19 test result.
Green predicts travel bookings to Hawaii could reach about 50% of normal levels by early-2021.
Written by Ray Montgomery
