TORONTO — The Hawaii Tourism Authority has issued an update for Canadians looking to vacation in Hawaii.
Recently Hawaii’s Governor David Ige announced that the state’s Safe Travels program will continue unchanged at this time, and that domestic travellers will not be required to include proof of COVID-19 booster shots. Individuals who received their primary COVID-19 vaccination series 14 days prior to arrival, or those who provide an acceptable negative pre-travel test, will continue to be exempt from the mandatory five-day quarantine.
The mandatory Safe Travels program applies to Canadians travelling from the U.S. mainland and its territories to the Hawaiian Islands. Travellers are considered up to date on the 14th day for vaccines that require two shots or for vaccines that require only one shot. The vaccination record must be uploaded to the Safe Travels website at https://travel.hawaii.gov/ prior to departure to Hawaii. Travellers who arrive without proof of vaccination or an acceptable negative pre-travel test result will be subject to a mandatory five-day quarantine.
Canadian passengers flying directly to Hawaii from Canada will have to abide by the federal requirements for entry into the United States. Canadians travelling directly to Hawaii from Canada must present both their vaccination records and a negative COVID-19 test result (NAAT or antigen) within three days of boarding their flight. There will be no additional State of Hawaii requirements for passengers flying directly into Hawaii from Canada.
John De Fries, President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, says Governor Ige’s decision to not mandate COVID-19 booster shots for the Safe Travels program “strikes a good balance between protecting public health and safety, and continuing the recovery of our economy which supports so many of our kamaaina families.”
De Fries adds: “While booster shots are not required to travel, we encourage visitors to stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines, wear their masks, and travel responsibly throughout our islands.”
More information about Hawaii’s Safe Travels program can be found at www.hawaiicovid19.com/travel.
