Travel

Hawaii Travel Paradise Is Deserted, With Recovery Further Off

Business is down 95% for some locals who rely on tourism: “I’m really afraid -- I can’t sleep.”

Kaanapali Beach, popular with tourists, is temporarily closed off in Maui, on April 24. 

Photographer: Mia Shimabuku/Bloomberg

Hawaii’s beauty may also be its curse in the time of coronavirus.

The unique nature of the most remote U.S. state turned it into a favored vacation spot, its economy heavily relying on tourism. Now the region’s labor market is the hardest hit by the pandemic downturn: About one in three workers have filed for jobless claims since the crisis started.