Mufi's Message - February 8, 2021

​Statewide Travel Rules Testimony

Aloha,

The Washington Post recently ran a story that reported on our local travel restrictions and the consequences of said policies. Perhaps most notably, the article highlighted how daunting it can be to navigate the pre-arrival testing and quarantine processes- especially now that there is such a variance from county to county. 

“Hawaii wants tourists. Tourists want Hawaii. But the rules are complicated.,” The Washington Post, January 29, 2021

Moreover, the article reaffirmed our industry's general feeling that the process is far too confusing and ultimately turns prospective travelers away from our islands. As you may know, there is a measure currently before the Legislature that would establish and simplify statewide travel rules. This is a concept of which HLTA has been and will continue to be supportive.

House Bill 1286, which was submitted by Speaker Saiki, will be heard tomorrow in a joint hearing of the House Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness and Labor & Tourism Committees. HLTA has already submitted testimony and will continue to monitor this bill's progress. We invite you to submit testimony of your own here.

AlohaSafe Alert

AlohaSafe Alert is the State's official COVID-19 exposure app that crowdsources and anonymously notifies those who may have unknowingly crossed paths with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. 

Here's how it works:

1. Download the AlohaSafe Alert app from either the Apple app store or the Google Play store and follow the in-app instructions.
2. Without sharing any private or identifiable information, the app will "ping" other phones that have downloaded the app.
3. If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the app, you will receive a notification from the app.
4. If you test positive for COVID-19, you will receive a verification code from the DOH that will be entered into the app. This will anonymously notify anybody who came within six feet of you.

The ingenuity and effectiveness of AlohaSafe Alert lie in the numbers. The more individuals who have downloaded the app, the more effective it becomes. To date, more than 80,000 local residents have downloaded AlohaSafe, and we hope that this number will continue to increase.

To learn more, please visit alohasafealert.org.

Mahalo,
​Mufi