Governor David Ige terminates Safe Travels Program

Shea Brown, News

Gov. David Ige announced that Safe Travels Hawaii will end on March 25 during a press conference hosted on Zoom.

Domestic travelers will no longer have to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their flight to avoid quarantining for five days. International travelers will continue to follow federal requirements.

“Right now, we are seeing lower case counts, and hospitalizations are coming down,” Ige announced at a press conference on Tuesday, March 1. “In addition, we looked at Hawaii’s robust vaccination rates and the continued push by businesses and organizations to get their employees vaccinated and boosted for the safety of their families and the community.”

Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO John De Fries hopes that the ending of Safe Travels will boost Hawaii’s tourism industry. 

“The recovery of Hawaii’s travel market and economy will be a gradual process,” De Fries said during the press conference. “Governor Ige’s decision is a good balance of maintaining reasonable health precautions while reopening our society and economy.”

Although COVID-19 restrictions have lessened, Ige reminded citizens to be cautious.

“The pandemic is not over,” Ige stated. “We are watching disease activity closely across the state, the country, and globally, and we will adjust accordingly to keep our entire community healthy – from keiki to kupuna.”