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MAUI WILL REOPEN TO VISITORS ON AUGUST 1! (Long Post) Our Governor announced yesterday that Hawaii will implement a pre-travel testing program that will allow u...s to welcome visitors to the islands without quarantine beginning August 1. Arriving travelers with a recent (probably within 3 days of flight) negative COVID-19 test will not be subject to quarantine. Travelers will also be required to fill out a COVID-related health form that will be verified upon arrival in Hawaii, and arriving passengers will undergo thermal screening to check temperatures. Our state is now in the process of partnering with various health entities that will make the COVID-19 test available to Hawaii travelers (cost to be paid by traveler) in advance of their flight date and provide verification of test results. CVS will be one partner, offering 1,400 locations across the U.S. More details on this and other logistics will be released in coming weeks. The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau site at www.gohawaii.com is a good place for reliable updates and details, as they become available. Travelers who choose not to get the pre-travel COVID test will be subject to the mandatory 14-day quarantine that has been in effect in Hawaii for the past 13 weeks. The quarantine requires that travelers stay INSIDE their hotel room for the entire 14 days. Quarantined travelers are not allowed to rent a car, go grocery shopping, go to the beach or hotel pool or do anything outside of their room. The quarantine is strictly enforced, with hefty fines and/or arrest for those who violate the laws. Due to Hawaii’s vulnerability as isolated islands with limited medical resources, our state is taking a cautious approach to reopening. With COVID-19 still so active and uncontrolled in mainland U.S. states and other countries, Hawaii has made public health and safety the top priority. We are excited about reopening to the world. We are excited to get back to work. We are excited to welcome our visitors again! But we need to do it carefully in order to minimize the risks. We need to keep our residents and visitor industry workers safe from potential infection and make sure the islands continue to be a safe destination for you, our visitors. You can help us when you’re here by following recommended protocols such as social distancing, handwashing, and wearing a mask in public places (currently required in Maui, except at beaches and parks). With your kokua (cooperation), we can keep Hawaii safe for everyone. We look forward to welcoming you to Maui with genuine aloha starting in August! I’m #AllAboutMaui

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Aloha from Maui, Wishing everyone health and safety during these very "interesting" times. Here are a few photos and a story I did for The Maui News that illust...rate the economic impact COVID-19 has had on Maui's tourism industry. If any of you had Matchbox or Hot Wheels cars when you were a kid, that's what 18,000 vehicles look like from the air. Thinking of all my family, friends and Facebook pals. Though there may be many challenges and hardships in the weeks and months to come, we will get through this. Take care, Matt By Matthew Thayer Staff Writer KAHULUI - The sudden drop in visitors to Maui due to the global COVID-19 pandemic has sent rental car companies scrambling to find places to park their idled fleets. A helicopter flight over Kahului Airport Tuesday provided by Windward Aviation pilot Don Shearer showed tens of thousands of cars parked like sardines around the airport in former sugar cane fields, along roads and in maxed-out parking lots. There are also cars parked near Costco, behind the former Kmart building and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center parking lot. Maui Airports District Manager Marvin Moniz said Tuesday there are about 18,000 rental cars idle on Maui and another 2,500 "out and about." "They're still renting cars," he said, adding he expected most of those to be turned in soon as well. For perspective, if the average rental car measures 15 feet in length, 20,000 cars could form a bumper-to-bumper line of vehicles stretching from the airport to Kaanapali and back with more than a mile of cars left over. "There's no certainty when we move on from this," Moniz said. "We're kind of winding down now. By April 10 there may only be one or two Mainland flights, maybe none." Kihei Rent-A-Car manager Ryan Simons says rental cars require expenses like registration fees whether they are rented or not. "We're not making any money and they still cost money to maintain," Simons said. "I've heard we have more rental cars on Maui than all the other islands combined. We have 450 for a little family company." Simons said Kihei Rent-A-Car currently has about 50 cars rented. "We're still here for locals when they need cars. I rented a couple cars today to people who are having car troubles." He said the drop in business has taken a toll on the company's employees. "It's extremely tough," Simons said. "Everybody's furloughed. It's pretty much just family here. We're all doing our part." Simons said he expects to sell some of his fleet. "We rent used cars, so we 're always selling off older ones as we upgrade our fleet. We have some cars for sale." Check out mauinews.com for continuing coverage of the novel corona virus and its impacts on the island and its people. So proud to be part of a great staff of reporters, editors, ad sales reps, pressmen, inserters and delivery crew. We're Big on Maui.

MAUI TRAVEL UPDATE (Long Post): To answer the many questions out there--there’s no official word yet on a reopening date for Maui. We have controlled the virus ...very well here in Hawaii (we have the lowest number of COVID-19 deaths of all 50 states), but as long as the virus is still uncontrolled in other states and countries, reopening Hawaii to the world presents a unique and challenging dilemma. Yes, our local economy is devastated, and we are suffering. Hawaii currently has the highest unemployment rate in the nationaround 35%. And Maui has the highest rate in the state. But our islands are isolated and vulnerable, with limited medical resources. We cannot take a chance on reopening and experiencing a massive spike in COVID-19 cases that would overwhelm our health care system and shut us back down again. When we reopen, we need to somehow keep the islands safe for our residents AND ensure it remains a safe destination for our visitors. COVID-19 has put communities around the world in the impossible position of having to choose between public health or the economy. There is no easy answer. In Hawaii, our state and county leaders are taking a cautious and measured approach to our reopening, making health and safety the top priorityboth for our residents and for our future visitors. Currently there is a 14-day quarantine required for anyone arriving into Hawaii through June 30th, and our Governor has indicated he will likely extend** the quarantine beyond that date, until a reopening plan is ready to implement. That plan will include some form of pre-arrival health screening requirement for travelers. It may sound like a simple process to just test everyone, but it’s actually a complex matterwho will administer the screening, what type of screening is most effective, when and how will it be done, how will it be reported and monitored, who will pay the cost, etc. Various options and logistics are being finalized now. We are expecting an announcement from the Governor within the next few days with an update. **(UPDATE: An hour after I posted this message, the Governor announced that he is extending the 14-day traveler quarantine at least through July 31.) Meanwhile, the islands are well into the phased process of reopening on a local basis. Most beaches, parks, and businesses have been given the green light to reopen. Interisland flights (air travel between the islands) will reopen on June 16. (Currently interisland travel is subject to the 14-day quarantine.) That is the first step towards reopening all flights. Screening and additional paperwork will be required to travel interisland, but if all goes well and there is not a large spike in COVID cases, our next step will be to start allowing some domestic or foreign flights into the islands, with a pre-arrival screening protocol. Please be patient. We know many of you are frustrated because your Hawaii trips have been cancelled or delayed. We can’t wait to welcome you back, but only when we can do so safely for all concerned. Stay tuned! I'm #AllAboutMaui

UPDATE ON TRAVEL TO MAUI (LONG POST): Many of you are wondering when it will be okay to travel to Maui again. Here’s the latest word: Yesterday afternoon, Hawai...i’s Governor announced that the Stay At Home mandate for our state, originally to end on April 30, is now extended to May 31. In addition, a 14-day mandatory quarantine, which started last month, is still required for anyone arriving into Hawaii and has been extended to May 31. These mandates apply to residents as well as visitors, meaning all are confined to their home or hotel room (or other place of lodging) during this time. Restaurants, beaches, parks, tourist attractions, and non-essential businesses, as well as most resorts, are closed. If you were planning a trip to Maui in May, we respectfully ask that you postpone it. There is no reason for you to be here just to sit in your room, and there are hefty fines (and possible arrest) for those who disregard the quarantine. Our governor has asked visitors not to come to Hawaii right now, and the 14-day quarantine was implemented last month in order to discourage tourists. But there are still a few who continue to arrive daily, whether they are welcome or not. The governor cannot close down the airports or stop all flights into Hawaii; he would if he could, but air traffic is under Federal jurisdiction. All we can do is ask youplease don’t visit Hawaii now. People here are suffering, and emotions are running high. More than 35,000 people on Maui are unemployed, and hundreds of small businesses are struggling to survive. There is a tremendous spirit of aloha within our communityneighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping strangers. But I will be very frank in saying there is a growing undercurrent of resentment against those who still insist on coming to our islands to vacation during this challenging time, possibly reinfecting our quarantined communities and vying with residents for food, supplies, health care, and other limited resources. This is not the time to vacation in Hawaii. Please stay home and stay safe until this global pandemic is over. Allow our island community to do the same. We want to welcome visitors back as soon as we possibly can, but we don’t know yet when that will be. Definitely not April or May. Possibly June or July. No one knows for sure. Along with you, we are just hoping and praying the threat from COVID-19 will diminish and Hawaii’s tourism shutdown will end soon. Believe me, we are not lounging around on the empty beaches (that’s currently against the law), exploring the island (also against the law), enjoying the lack of tourists. We are at home looking out our windows. We want our visitors back--35,000 Maui residents are anxious to get back to work! But only when it is safe for all. Maui will heal. The island will open to visitors again. And when that time comes, we will welcome you back with genuine alohaand open arms, if that’s allowed! Meanwhile, mahalo for your patience and understanding. And mahalo for postponing your trip until the time is right. To stay current on daily Maui-specific news, I recommend https://mauinow.com. And for updates on Hawaii (and Maui) travel restrictions, check out the Hawaii Visitors Bureau’s site at https://www.gohawaii.com. Aloha! I’m #AllAboutMaui

A little Maui for you to enjoy until we meet again our dear O'hana...Be well

Turtle Tuesday brought to you by the talented @anthony_valeriano - As you might already know ... I love calming sceneries and videos and this is one of them. Ta...ke it easy my friends. We live in a stressful world right now... so let’s be intentional about taking the time to be calm and quite. Enjoy each moment. Video credit goes to @anthony_valeriano #honu #calm #underthesea #serenity #lovehonu #maui See more

Good morning Maui!

Napili Bay, West Maui. Have a beautiful Aloha Friday, wherever you may be! I’m #AllAboutMaui NOTE: Maui is currently closed to visitors, but we can bring Maui t...o you. We hope our posts will lift your spirits and remind you there is still beauty and peace in the worldand better times to come. Aloha! See more

NEW UPDATE ON TRAVEL TO MAUI (Long Post): When will it be okay to travel to Maui again? Here’s the latest word: Yesterday, Hawaii’s Governor announced that the ...14-day mandatory quarantine, which was implemented in March to deter travel to the islands, has been extended through June 30. The quarantine applies to all people arriving into Hawaii--visitors as well as returning residentsand requires that all are confined to their home or hotel room (or other place of lodging) during the 14-day period. A quarantined person is not allowed to rent a car, shop for groceries, go to the beach, dine out, use their hotel’s facilities, or do anything outside of their room, and there are hefty fines (and possible arrest) for those who willfully disregard the quarantine laws. If you were planning a trip to Maui in May or June, we respectfully ask that you postpone it. There is good news, however. Maui is now moving from the lockdown phase into the recovery mode. In coming weeks, there is a timeline for the reopening of shops and services, beaches and parks, restaurants and attractions. This is taking place slowly in phases, so any spike in COVID-19 cases can be monitored. Once the local infrastructure is safely reestablished, we will be one step closer to welcoming visitors back. We know that many people are frustrated because their travel plans to Hawaii have been interrupted by this pandemic, and we ask for your continued patience and understanding. We’re frustrated, too. And many here are suffering. With the tourism industry down, more than a third of Hawaii’s workforce is unemployedthe highest in the nation. And that doesn’t include the thousands of businesseslarge and small--that are struggling to survive. Butas a remote island state, we are unique in our concerns, needs, and approach to COVID-19. We have limited medical resources hereand unlike other places, we don’t have the option to drive to a nearby city (or state) for additional medical care. Our island borders have made it possible for us to contain and control the virus (and we have done that extremely well, so far), but those borders also place us in a position of tremendous risk if the virus takes hold and begins to spread like wildfire. There is nowhere to run. It could decimate an entire island community and quickly overwhelm our health system. Therefore, our state and county leaders are taking a cautious and measured approach, starting with a phased reopening of the local economy before we throw the doors open to the world. There is no official date yet as to when Hawaii will be open to visitors again. It's likely we will start welcoming back a limited number of visitors sometime this summer, although things will certainly feel different for a while (like people wearing masks). In addition to the safety of our residents, we want to ensure that our islands are a safe and healthy destination for our guests. Once we open our doors again to the outside world, we will need to somehow KEEP things safe and healthy through screening and monitoring. There will undoubtedly be some kind of pre-arrival virus testing implemented for travelers, as an alternative to the 14-day quarantine. Those options are now under discussion by our state officials. Mahalo for your patience as Maui continues towards recovery and starts preparing for visitors again. We want to welcome you back as soon as we possibly can, but only when we can do that safely--for everyone’s sake. Aloha and Mahalo! (For ongoing updates on Hawaii travel restrictions, see the Hawaii Visitors Bureau’s website at https://www.gohawaii.com.) I’m #AllAboutMaui

Enjoy my friends... enjoy the video for now... and hopefully you can visit here soon .... #maui #mauibeach #mauimorning #mauibeachwalks