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Noticing a lot of visitors asking questions before finding the state’s Safe Travels Program online, officials with Maui County and the state are exploring a name change to make the pre-travel information even easier to Google.
“We thought 'Safe Travels' was pretty straightforward. I mean just Google ‘Hawaii Safe Travels’ or ‘Safe Travels Hawaii' and get started,” said Akira Suzuki, a public outreach coordinator with the county. “But we’re learning that just might not be the case.”
County departments started to notice an onslaught of phone calls any time the state’s rules for travel to the islands changed due to new federal guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Most troubling, according to Suzuki, is answers to nearly every question are available on the Safe Travels Program website. Visitors simply need to create an account, and begin the process by filling out a health form.
Administrators of Maui-related Facebook groups report having to paste the site’s web address (https://travel.hawaii.gov) into group discussions numerous times each day.
In fact, technicians at Google report that https://travel.hawaii.gov has been pasted into the comments section of Facebook groups more than any other URL on Earth.
Alternatives to the ‘Safe Travels’ Name?
So county officials look to maybe change the program’s name, and possibly along with it the web address (URL). Among alternatives they are considering are MoveSafeHI.org, TestNGo.com, and JustRead1st.com.
Some Maui residents wonder if the confusion is from the constant pre-travel procedure changes, and the tacking on of tiers needed for easier pre-travel requirements.
"What tier are we on anyway?" asked Wendy Jones of Kihei. "I lost count at six."
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