Originally Posted by gq_dq

Not sure if they "can't" ... methinks they can do whatever they want... BUT... you are exactly right, this is the same discussion I have with friends and family... look, some of these operators like boat tours and such are 100% reliant on tourists for their income. These are not transferable skills... I mean you can't be running a shark diving outfit one day and suddenly because of the lockdown go sell fruit at the Papeete Marche the next day. I cannot imagine the lost revenues for these businesses... especially in a place so sparsely populated where it's anyways difficult to make a profitable living even without a lockdown.

Of course this is not to mention the scores of other non-tourist oriented businesses which have also been hit hard because locals are also stuck inside their homes. I have been in touch with some businesses while we count down the days to our trip... we are also scheduled to be in Mo'orea on Oct 1 assuming everything doesn't implode and borders close... are you on the UA flight on 9/30? One operator advised me that they may be looking into a "health pass" ... maybe similar to the one they have on mainland France which allows you access to museums, restaurants etc. I think that is a good option because of the simple fact that everyone including fully vaccinated locals and tourists alike are being restricted because of those who are unvaccinated and more likely to contract and spread the virus... obviously not to say that vaccinated tourists cannot... a few weeks ago I was told by a resort that 14 vaccinated US based tourists who tested negative on the way in, tested positive at PPT before their UA flight back. So YMMV, but hopefully they will show some flexibility for the vaccinated, or these small businesses may end up in real dire straits.