Hawaii’s no-smoking law, which went into effect on November 16, has raised fears Japanese tourists, one of the state s biggest markets, will give the island a miss. The law prohibits smoking in all public areas including airports, restaurants, bowling alleys and malls. It is also now illegal to light up in partially enclosed areas, bars and less than 20 feet from doorways and windows. Thirteen other US states and hundreds of cities are now complying with the comprehensive no-smoking laws.Yujiro Kuwabara from the Japan Travel Bureau predicts the toughest challenge will be explaining the new rules, especially the small percentage of hotel rooms where smoking is allowed.Read more here.
