|Out-of-state travel demand for Hawaii is building as the nation and other countries begin reopening.Hawaii visitor industry members say there’s still time to recapture part of Hawaii’s peak summer travel season if Gov. David Ige makes a definitive announcement soon that he’s willing to ease restrictions in August for travelers with negative tests.But that’s a big if.The window for Hawaii to get a piece of the summer action is narrowing as other major destinations, including Mexico and the Caribbean, reopen. Even cautious destinations like Alaska and Tahiti have begun to lap Hawaii by...…|Out-of-state travel demand for Hawaii is building as the nation and other countries begin reopening.Hawaii visitor industry members say there’s still time to recapture part of Hawaii’s peak summer travel season if Gov. David Ige makes a definitive announcement soon that he’s willing to ease restrictions in August for travelers with negative tests.But that’s a big if.The window for Hawaii to get a piece of the summer action is narrowing as other major destinations, including Mexico and the Caribbean, reopen. Even cautious destinations like Alaska and Tahiti have begun to lap Hawaii by...WW…

An Oklahoma visitor who apparently drowned Wednesday at Spitting Caves died 10 days into the 14-day mandatory self-quarantine that he was supposed to complete.The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Kristopher Michael Oliphant, 39, of Tulsa, Okla. A cause of death was not immediately available.Jessica Lani Rich, president and CEO of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, said Oliphant arrived in Hawaii on June 7 and told authorities that he intended to complete his quarantine at a Waikiki hotel. Instead, he checked out of the hotel early and broke quarantine.“We were...…An Oklahoma visitor who apparently drowned Wednesday at Spitting Caves died 10 days into the 14-day mandatory self-quarantine that he was supposed to complete.The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Kristopher Michael Oliphant, 39, of Tulsa, Okla. A cause of death was not immediately available.Jessica Lani Rich, president and CEO of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, said Oliphant arrived in Hawaii on June 7 and told authorities that he intended to complete his quarantine at a Waikiki hotel. Instead, he checked out of the hotel early and broke quarantine.“We were...WW…

|State officials said they will not accept the less costly of two COVID-19 tests United Airlines wants to offer passengers to encourage travel to Hawaii.United, which brought more travelers to Hawaii than any other carrier pre-pandemic, said Thursday it will offer COVID-19 tests for $250 or $80 to Hawaii-bound customers originating from San Francisco. A negative test will allow Oahu visitors to avoid spending 14 days in quarantine at the start of their trip. The $250 test can be done at the airport in 15 minutes. The $80 test is done at home and mailed to a lab days before travel.United...…|State officials said they will not accept the less costly of two COVID-19 tests United Airlines wants to offer passengers to encourage travel to Hawaii.United, which brought more travelers to Hawaii than any other carrier pre-pandemic, said Thursday it will offer COVID-19 tests for $250 or $80 to Hawaii-bound customers originating from San Francisco. A negative test will allow Oahu visitors to avoid spending 14 days in quarantine at the start of their trip. The $250 test can be done at the airport in 15 minutes. The $80 test is done at home and mailed to a lab days before travel.United...WW…

|Gov. David Ige’s announcement last week that Hawaii will launch a pre-arrival testing program Oct. 15 kicked off the start of a fall tourism reopening for Hawaii.There are those Hawaii residents and business leaders who are still questioning the need, workability and usefulness of Ige’s plan, which has been pushed back three times. Given the delays, some critics are wondering why the state didn’t roll out a fully developed playbook for executing the plan in conjunction with Wednesday’s announcement.The reopening is just 23 days away, and many details of the plan are yet to be worked...…|Gov. David Ige’s announcement last week that Hawaii will launch a pre-arrival testing program Oct. 15 kicked off the start of a fall tourism reopening for Hawaii.There are those Hawaii residents and business leaders who are still questioning the need, workability and usefulness of Ige’s plan, which has been pushed back three times. Given the delays, some critics are wondering why the state didn’t roll out a fully developed playbook for executing the plan in conjunction with Wednesday’s announcement.The reopening is just 23 days away, and many details of the plan are yet to be worked...WW…

|Hawaii’s positive cases went back to triple digits Sunday, adding another data point to a surge that is bringing the state closer to another widespread lockdown and garnering national attention.State Health Department officials reported only 45 new cases Sunday morning but said they were “not a complete and accurate picture due to the temporary delay in receiving complete data” from Clinical Labs of Hawaii, a private laboratory conducting most of the tests in the state.Lt. Gov. Josh Green said Sunday evening that DOH had sorted out the accounting issue and that the “number does appear...…|Hawaii’s positive cases went back to triple digits Sunday, adding another data point to a surge that is bringing the state closer to another widespread lockdown and garnering national attention.State Health Department officials reported only 45 new cases Sunday morning but said they were “not a complete and accurate picture due to the temporary delay in receiving complete data” from Clinical Labs of Hawaii, a private laboratory conducting most of the tests in the state.Lt. Gov. Josh Green said Sunday evening that DOH had sorted out the accounting issue and that the “number does appear...WW…

The count of daily trans-Pacific visitors rose to its highest level since the first day that Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine was implemented for all arriving passengers.The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported today that 691 trans-Pacific passengers arrived on Monday, including 164 visitors and 205 residents. The count also included 144 airline crew members, 130 transit passengers and 48 intended new residents for Oahu.Monday’s count was one of the highest daily visitor counts since March 26, when 239 visitors came.It was 80% higher than Sunday when 91 visitors came to Hawaii.Visitor...…The count of daily trans-Pacific visitors rose to its highest level since the first day that Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine was implemented for all arriving passengers.The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported today that 691 trans-Pacific passengers arrived on Monday, including 164 visitors and 205 residents. The count also included 144 airline crew members, 130 transit passengers and 48 intended new residents for Oahu.Monday’s count was one of the highest daily visitor counts since March 26, when 239 visitors came.It was 80% higher than Sunday when 91 visitors came to Hawaii.Visitor...WW…

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has paid less than a third of the unique unemployment insurance filings that it has received since March 1, when COVID-19 started wreaking havoc on the state’s economy.DLIR spokesmanWilliam Kunstman told the Honolulu Star-Advertiseron Monday that the department received 221,731 unique filings out of 309,765 unemployment filings received between March 1 and and April 26. Total filings are higher because some frustrated workers have filed more than one application.DLIR has processed 181,846, or 82%, of the unique filings but so farhas...…The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has paid less than a third of the unique unemployment insurance filings that it has received since March 1, when COVID-19 started wreaking havoc on the state’s economy.DLIR spokesmanWilliam Kunstman told the Honolulu Star-Advertiseron Monday that the department received 221,731 unique filings out of 309,765 unemployment filings received between March 1 and and April 26. Total filings are higher because some frustrated workers have filed more than one application.DLIR has processed 181,846, or 82%, of the unique filings but so farhas...WW…

At this time last April, Hawaii tourism would have been hurtling toward 900,000 visitors.But Hawaii tourism has collapsed since COVID-19 started spreading and the state implemented emergency orders designed to collapse tourism to conserve local services.As of Friday, only 3,762 visitors, which represent a mix of leisure and essential travelers, have come into the state over the last 30 days.The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported today that 467 trans-Pacific passengers arrived on Friday, including 118 visitors and 155 residents. The count also included 92 airline crew members, 45 transit...…At this time last April, Hawaii tourism would have been hurtling toward 900,000 visitors.But Hawaii tourism has collapsed since COVID-19 started spreading and the state implemented emergency orders designed to collapse tourism to conserve local services.As of Friday, only 3,762 visitors, which represent a mix of leisure and essential travelers, have come into the state over the last 30 days.The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported today that 467 trans-Pacific passengers arrived on Friday, including 118 visitors and 155 residents. The count also included 92 airline crew members, 45 transit...WW…

The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH) returned two homeless men to Los Angeles on Monday, the first day of the nonprofit’s flight assistance program.The program, which is funded with a grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, aims to ensure that travelers to Hawaii don’t stay here unless they have the resources to follow a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. Visitors to Hawaii are required to bear all quarantine expenses, including lodging and food delivery.“The purpose of the grant is to keep Hawaii safe. We want to return arriving passengers to their place of origin if they come here...…The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH) returned two homeless men to Los Angeles on Monday, the first day of the nonprofit’s flight assistance program.The program, which is funded with a grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, aims to ensure that travelers to Hawaii don’t stay here unless they have the resources to follow a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. Visitors to Hawaii are required to bear all quarantine expenses, including lodging and food delivery.“The purpose of the grant is to keep Hawaii safe. We want to return arriving passengers to their place of origin if they come here...WW…

Hawaiian Airlines announced today that it is resuming most of its U.S. mainland routes and will increase its neighbor island schedule — although international service will remain suspended due to restrictions on inbound travel.The carrier’s decision follows Gov. David Ige’s announcement last week that starting Aug. 1 the state would allow passengers with approved negative COVID-19 tests taken within 72 hours of their trip to Hawaii may bypass the state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for out-of state passengers. The out-of-state quarantine runs through July 31 and is expected to be...…Hawaiian Airlines announced today that it is resuming most of its U.S. mainland routes and will increase its neighbor island schedule — although international service will remain suspended due to restrictions on inbound travel.The carrier’s decision follows Gov. David Ige’s announcement last week that starting Aug. 1 the state would allow passengers with approved negative COVID-19 tests taken within 72 hours of their trip to Hawaii may bypass the state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for out-of state passengers. The out-of-state quarantine runs through July 31 and is expected to be...WW…