The novel coronavirus has devastated communities around the world, stressing health care systems, wreaking havoc on families, and creating job losses across a myriad of industries. Travel is no exception. Critical to the long-term health of our state is striking a data-driven balance between restrictions to safeguard public health and responsible procedures for reopening.
Following the coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. Travel Association found that 51% of 15.8 million travel-related jobs have disappeared across the country. This is especially felt in Hawaii, where tourism is the largest sector of our state economy, comprising 17% of our state’s GDP. More than 200,000 jobs in Hawaii are tied to tourism, and more than 238,000 people have filed for unemployment in the state.
Unfortunately, I can attest to this firsthand. I am a licensed real estate agent who manages 24 permitted short-term vacation rental homes along the Kona-Kohala coast. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve had to lay off two full-time employees and pause services with almost a dozen companies who help maintain our properties, including handymen, housekeepers, pest control technicians, carpet and upholstery cleaners, and more. These vendors are overwhelmingly small businesses owned by local residents, who support their families through their income and support our local economy through tax revenue. They face loss of livelihood and potential loss of their businesses the longer these closures continue.
Our local economy is suffering from short-term rentals being shut down. On the flip side, this pandemic highlights the need for the diversification of our local economy and presents a real opportunity to shift toward increasing our resilience through supporting and strengthening other sectors.
The strong measures taken by Gov. David Ige’s administration have led to Hawaii having the third lowest COVID-19 case and death count of the U.S. It is evident that we have flattened the curve in Hawaii, and I applaud the steps taken to safeguard the health of our residents. It is also important that we remain vigilant until we have clear protocols for reopening business safely. It is my sincere hope that Ige’s administration, as well as the administrations of each of our counties’ mayors, are using this time to formulate protocols in conjunction with medical experts and determine clear and actionable enforcement mechanisms.
Thus far, it is unclear to me why hotels have been deemed essential businesses and have been allowed to remain open while short-term vacation rentals have not. It could certainly be argued that the privacy and isolation that short-term vacation rentals offer are a safer option for travelers and the local residents who work in them than hotels with their shared common spaces. I believe that travelers — whether they are kamaaina, interisland tourists, from the continental U.S. or international — should have the option to stay in short-term vacation rentals with appropriate safeguards intact, if they wish.
This virus has changed the ways in which my business operates. We are now offering self-check-ins instead of personal welcomes to greet new visitors, and we are planning to provide custom video “welcome” tours for each property as well. Our properties have always maintained strict cleaning protocols, and we have now adopted the recently published standards from the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA). Together with Vrbo and other travel leaders, the industry has established a clear set of standards, including increased use of personal protective equipment for cleaning staff, disinfecting all surfaces using CDC-recommended products, especially on high-touch areas, new procedures for changing linens and bedding and much more. Training our staff, housekeeping companies and other vendors on these standards is the next step we are taking to ensure responsible reopening practices that keep both customers and staff healthy.
I love my job, and I love sharing the beauty and aloha spirit of the island with others. I know many people are hungry to travel and experience the culture, cuisine and sights that Hawaii has to offer. I am confident in the steps that the travel industry is taking to safely reopen our businesses in a responsible manner. Clear, common sense, and expertly advised protocols will keep both residents and travelers safe.
Mark LeRoy is a property manager and luxury rental specialist for Elite Pacific Properties