Japanese travel agency extends tour cancellations to Hawaii until Aug. 31

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Japanese travel agency JTB Hawaii is extending its tour cancellations until Aug. 31, another grim reminder of Japanese tourism at a standstill in Hawaii.

JTB Hawaii President Tsuneo Ishida indicated in a letter that the government of Japan won't permit Japanese travel to Hawaii until the mandatory quarantine for international visitors is lifted.

"We are hopeful that business will resume back to normal with the 'new normal,' Ishida said in the letter.

Japan is the state’s largest international market. Most Japanese travelers to Hawaii come on tours — many of which are scheduled by JTB.

JTB said it will reassess plans for tours scheduled Sept. 1 onward by the end of July.

The state had been considering creating a “travel bubble” with destinations where infection rates are low, such as Japan and Korea. However, experts said it would be difficult because Hawaii is a state — not a country — and there are certain barriers to take into consideration.

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