960 passengers and crew dead. This would be the result if 6 fully booked Boeing 737 – Max 7 crashed on one day. Today 960 people died in hospitals in the United States because of COVID-19 infection.
Today more than 61,067 additional Americans were diagnosed with COVID-19. This number is equal to the population of beautiful Ft. Myers in Florida.
Today a former president of one of the largest tour operators in the United States, who is also a member and former board member of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) wrote this note to his friends on Facebook about his life partner who died on Coronavirus. This happened after WTTC started to promote their safe travels stamp of approval initiative. eTurboNews left out all names for privacy reasons. It should be noted that the executive was not speaking as an official of this well known Global Tour Operator but as a human being.
He stated: “My friend died today after a struggle that I have no desire to recollect. So I will say this once: If you wish to deny this disease, then get sick, go away, and unfriend me. I am now going to be political. Yet if you can understand what my friend went through, then please help yourself and others, for him. Honestly, I admire all of you who know how to end this. If you actually do not understand, un-politically, then contact me. Together we will save one life at a time…easy.., then we will move on…”
Today leaders in the Hawaii Travel and Tourism Industry, Hawaii Governor Ige, and the four mayors are meeting in Honolulu to discuss postponing the opening of the Aloha State for tourism.
Ft. Lauderdale sent a message of Aloha to Hawaii on July 4th.
Everyone knows the economy cannot afford it, the State is running out of money. Federal substitutes for the massive unemployment number of those laid off by the collapse of the tourism industry are supposed to stop July 31. Keeping tourism closed is a tough decision, but it’s a necessary decision.
Hawaii House Representative Rida Cabanilla Arakawa told eTurboNews on June 29 she was concerned about reopening tourism in the Aloha State and urged to put health over-tourism. She said:
“We can survive an economic downturn, but we cannot survive death.”
Opening the Hawaii Visitors industry for short term gain will not work. Florida, Arizona, Texas, and California are perfect proof. Hawaii is supposed to eliminate the 2-week quarantine requirement for visitors able to show a negative test upon arrival.
Tourism is resilience and will rebuild, but let’s take one day at a time. More updates and initiatives will be posted on www.resilience.travel
