UHERO BRIEFS ARE CIRCULATED TO STIMULATE DISCUSSION AND CRITICAL COMMENT. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS. WHILE BRIEFS BENEFIT FROM ACTIVE UHERO DISCUSSION, THEY HAVE NOT UNDERGONE FORMAL ACADEMIC PEER REVIEW.
Shortly after the start of the coronavirus epidemic in the U.S., CNN Business ran a story with the provocative headline: “The travel industry is suffering its worst shock since 9/11 because of coronavirus.” As the virus raced across the country though, COVID-19’s impact on the travel industry has turned out to be far worse than 9/11. The pandemic has turned 2020 into a lost year for the U.S. travel industry. In this essay we examine what the future of travel and tourism might look like primarily in the U.S. and future implications for Hawaii tourism. We focus on the potential long-lasting and systematic effects of the pandemic on travel and tourism rather than just the recovery. To read the entire essay, click on the following.