Hawaii Tourism Grinds to Halt as Virus Restrictions Tighten

HONOLULU (AP) — Like many cities across the world, Honolulu came to an eerie standstill this weekend as the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the islands.

But Hawaii officials went beyond the standard stay-at-home orders and effectively flipped the switch on the state’s tourism-fueled economic engine in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

As of Thursday, anyone arriving in Hawaii must undergo a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. The unprecedented move dramatically reduced the number of people on beaches, in city parks and on country roads where many people rely on tourism to pay for the high cost of living in Hawaii.