HONOLULU — A recent surge of tourists in Hawaii has driven up the price of rental cars after fleets were thinned out throughout the pandemic.
Some companies in Honolulu had only large vans for $500 a day and convertibles for $1,000 a day or more, Hawaii News Now reported Monday.
The pandemic resulted in limited rental inventory.
The islands have seen a surge of tourists in current weeks as local covid restrictions ease and more individuals throughout the nation begin to travel.
On Maui, the cheapest rental car was $722 every day for a sedan, according to Hawaii News Now. There were more than 25,000 visitors to Maui from Friday to Sunday.
Maui has also seen a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, and the island’s mayor is warning visitors to follow local mandates.
“You see these individuals on the beach again here, they’re visitors and they’re not wearing masks,” Mayor Mike Victorino stated. “If you can’t obey our guidelines, don’t come if you can’t wear a mask or do what is right.”
Hawaii still requires individuals to wear masks, including outdoors when social distancing is impossible.
The mayor stated he’s considering more options to help curb the spread of COVID-19, including a post-travel test for all travelers and tighter local restrictions.
