video courtesy Hawaiʻi County Council, edited by BIVN
VIDEO: Hawaii Island Tourism Wiped Out By COVID-19
by Big Island Video News
on at
STORY SUMMARY
HAWAIʻI ISLAND - The Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau illustrates how the pandemic has decimated the visitor industry on the Big Island, and shared what he thinks will be next.
Slide shared by Ross Birch, the Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau
(BIVN) – The plunge in visitor arrivals to the Big Island – and the dramatic economic impacts – due to the COVID-19 pandemic were discussed this week at the Hawaiʻi County Council.
Ross Birch, the Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau, gave a presentation – through video conference – that used various charts and graphs to illustrate how unemployment numbers skyrocketed when tourism to Hawaiʻi island came to a halt.
“Its been quite a wild ride that we’ve had, especially in tourism,” Birch said, adding that the situation is unprecedented, “beyond anything we’ve ever seen from a tourism standpoint.”
Slide shared by Ross Birch, the Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau
Birch said the industry’s number one focus is the mitigation of COVID-19, because they “have to get to a stopping area before we can start again.”
On one of the last slides of his presentation, Birch offered the following “prognostications” on what he thinks will happen next, from a tourism standpoint, in his personal opinion.
General Travel
Drive to destinations will see first visitors
Travelers will be attracted less congested destinations (avoid large cities)
Locations with lesser COVID- 19 cases and strong processes in place will do better
Need precautions in place at airports and airlines
Hawaii Island
Hawai’ i Island Hotels will remain closed through May
Previous bookings for July on are strong
Group’ s scheduled for March —June moved to Fall or 2021
Airlines will ramp up slowly with limited flights through end of June (Airlines received an exemption from the CARES Act for Kona, Lihue & Kahului)
Initial price point for airfare and accommodations needs to be very competitive
Travel demand is still strong including Hawaii as a destination
Create unique experiences allowing social distancing
by Big Island Video News
on at
STORY SUMMARY
HAWAIʻI ISLAND - The Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau illustrates how the pandemic has decimated the visitor industry on the Big Island, and shared what he thinks will be next.
Slide shared by Ross Birch, the Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau
(BIVN) – The plunge in visitor arrivals to the Big Island – and the dramatic economic impacts – due to the COVID-19 pandemic were discussed this week at the Hawaiʻi County Council.
Ross Birch, the Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau, gave a presentation – through video conference – that used various charts and graphs to illustrate how unemployment numbers skyrocketed when tourism to Hawaiʻi island came to a halt.
“Its been quite a wild ride that we’ve had, especially in tourism,” Birch said, adding that the situation is unprecedented, “beyond anything we’ve ever seen from a tourism standpoint.”
Slide shared by Ross Birch, the Executive Director of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau
Birch said the industry’s number one focus is the mitigation of COVID-19, because they “have to get to a stopping area before we can start again.”
On one of the last slides of his presentation, Birch offered the following “prognostications” on what he thinks will happen next, from a tourism standpoint, in his personal opinion.
General Travel
Hawaii Island