NOVEMBER 2022 TOTAL VISITOR COUNT 90.9 PERCENT OF THE 2019 LEVEL
News Release from DBEDT, December 29, 2022
HONOLULU—According to preliminary visitor statistics released by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), a total of 735,340 visitors arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in November 2022, representing a 90.9 percent recovery from the same month in 2019. As measured in nominal dollars, these visitors spent $1.52 billion in November 2022, an increase of 13.7 percent compared to the $1.34 billion reported for November 2019.
(TRANSLATION: 'Nominal dollars' means 'not accounting for inflation'. Inflation is 17% from 2019 to 2022 so a 13.7% 'nominal' increase means 'real dollar' spending is down, not up.)
In November 2022, 725,469 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 9,872 visitors arrived by cruise ships during the month. In comparison, 792,547 visitors arrived by air (-8.5%) and 16,529 visitors came by cruise ships (-40.3%) in November 2019. The average length of stay by all visitors in November 2022 was 9.05 days, up from 8.30 days (+9.1%) in November 2019. The statewide average daily census¹ was 221,809 visitors in November 2022 compared to 223,746 visitors (-0.9%) in November 2019.
In November 2022, 415,610 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, an increase of 10.8 percent compared to 375,244 visitors in November 2019. U.S. West visitors spent $821.5 million in November 2022, up 45.7 percent from $563.8 million in November 2019. Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in November 2022 ($231 per person) was much higher compared to November 2019 ($179 per person, +29.1%).
There were 166,327 visitors from the U.S. East in November 2022, a 10.6 percent growth from the 150,386 visitors in November 2019. U.S. East visitors spent $394.8 million in November 2022, up 28.7 percent from $306.8 million in November 2019. Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in November 2022 ($248 per person) increased in comparison to November 2019 ($221 per person, +12.1%).
There were 27,898 visitors from Japan in November 2022 compared to 131,536 visitors (-78.8%) in November 2019. Visitors from Japan spent $46.3 million in November 2022 compared to $189.4 million (-75.5%) in November 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in November 2022 ($240 per person) was lower compared to November 2019 ($255 per person,
-6.1%).
In November 2022, 44,686 visitors arrived from Canada compared to 50,598 visitors (-11.7%) in November 2019. Visitors from Canada spent $110.4 million in November 2022, compared to $98.3 million (+12.3%) in November 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in November 2022 ($199 per person) increased compared to November 2019 ($165 per person, +20.8%).
In November 2022, there were 70,947 visitors from All Other International Markets, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, Philippines and the Pacific Islands. In comparison, there were 84,783 visitors (-16.3%) from All Other International Markets in November 2019.
In November 2022, a total of 4,716 trans-Pacific flights with 1,026,142 seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands, compared to 4,881 flights (-3.4%) with 1,072,805 (-4.3%) in November 2019.
Through the first 11 months of 2022, total visitor spending was $17.40 billion, up 9.0 percent from $15.96 billion in the first 11 months of 2019. A total of 8,375,977 visitors arrived in the first 11 months of 2022, which was a decrease compared to the first 11 months of 2019 at 9,434,232 visitors (-11.2%).
Other Highlights
U.S. West: In November 2022, 334,375 visitors arrived from the Pacific region and 80,929 visitors came from the Mountain region. Most of the U.S. West visitors in November 2022 have been to Hawaii before (81.9%) while 18.1 percent were first-time visitors. In terms of accommodations, 52.0 percent of the U.S. West visitors in November 2022 stayed in hotels, 17.5 percent stayed in condominiums, 12.1 percent stayed with friends and relatives, 11.6 percent stayed in rental homes, and 10.0 percent stayed in timeshares.
Through the first 11 months of 2022 there were 4,839,220 visitors from the U.S. West compared to 4,176,799 visitors (+15.9%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
U.S. West visitors spent $9.14 billion in the first 11 months of 2022 compared to $6.25 billion (+46.2%) in the first 11 months of 2019. The average daily visitor spending in the first 11 months of 2022 was $220 per person, up considerably from $174 per person (+26.3%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
U.S. East: In November 2022, South Atlantic (38,351 visitors), West South Central (34,840 visitors) and East North Central (33,106 visitors) were the three largest regions in terms of visitor arrivals. Over half of U.S. East visitors in November 2022 have been to Hawaii before (58.9%) while 41.1 percent were first time visitors. In terms of lodging, 59.6 percent of the U.S. East visitors in November 2022 stayed in hotels, 13.0 percent stayed in condominiums, 12.9 percent stayed with friends and relatives, 10.8 percent stayed in rental homes, and 8.1 percent stayed in timeshares.
Through the first 11 months of 2022, 2,244,847 visitors arrived from the U.S. East, compared to 2,061,163 visitors (+8.9%) in the first 11 months of 2019. U.S. East visitors spent $5.51 billion in the first 11 months of 2022 compared to $4.20 billion (+31.2%) in the first 11 months of 2019. Daily visitor spending in the first 11 months of 2022 rose to $249 per person compared to $212 per person (+17.3%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
Japan: Of the 27,898 visitors in November 2022, 27,362 arrived on international flights and 536 came on domestic flights. Most of the Japanese visitors in November 2022 were repeat visitors (78.6%) while 21.4 percent were first-time visitors to the islands. In terms of lodging, 63.8 percent of the visitors in November 2022 stayed in hotels, 18.8 percent stayed in condominiums, 18.8 percent stayed in timeshares and 2.1 percent stayed with friends and relatives.
Through the first 11 months of 2022 there were 162,772 visitors from Japan compared to 1,439,570 visitors (-88.7%) in the first 11 months of 2019. Visitors from Japan spent $313.5 million in the first 11 months of 2022 compared to $2.04 billion (-84.6%) in the first 11 months of 2019. Daily visitor spending in the first 11 months of 2022 decreased to $232 per person from $240 per person (-3.1%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
Canada: Of the 44,686 visitors in November 2022, 35,126 visitors arrived via direct air service from Canada and 9,560 visitors came on domestic flights. Seven out of ten Canadian visitors in November 2022 were repeat visitors (69.6%) while 30.4 percent were first-timers to Hawaii. In terms of lodging, 46.0 percent of Canadian visitors in November 2022 stayed in hotels, 30.4 percent stayed in condominiums, 12.1 percent stayed in timeshares, 11.9 percent stayed in rental homes, and 4.8 percent stayed with friends and relatives.
Through the first 11 months of 2022 there were 341,508 visitors from Canada compared to 475,922 visitors (-28.2%) in the first 11 months of 2019. Visitors from Canada spent $792.0 million in the first 11 months of 2022, compared to $951.9 million (-16.8%) in the first 11 months of 2019. Daily visitor spending in the first 11 months of 2022 rose to $188 per person from $166 per person (+13.3%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
Island Highlights
Oahu: There were 392,683 visitors to Oahu in November 2022 compared to 468,684 visitors (-16.2%) in November 2019. Visitor spending was $711.9 million compared to $644.3 million (+10.5%) in November 2019. The average daily census on Oahu was 93,958 visitors in November 2022 compared to 100,880 visitors (-6.9%) in November 2019.
Through the first 11 months of 2022, there were 4,377,953 visitors to Oahu compared to 5,595,902 visitors (-21.8%) in the first 11 months of 2019. For the first 11 months of 2022, total visitor spending was $7.68 billion (+4.3%) compared to $7.36 billion in the first 11 months of 2019.
Maui: There were 228,803 visitors to Maui in November 2022 compared to 232,330 visitors (-1.5%) in November 2019. Visitor spending was $435.2 million compared to $377.9 million (+15.2%) in November 2019. The average daily census on Maui was 62,204 visitors in November 2022 up from the 61,437 visitors (+1.2%) in November 2019.
Through the first 11 months of 2022, there were 2,651,688 visitors to Maui compared to 2,784,485 visitors (-4.8%) in the first 11 months of 2019. For the first 11 months of 2022, total visitor spending was $5.13 billion compared to $4.61 billion (+11.2%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
Kauai: There were 106,390 visitors to Kauai in November 2022 compared to 103,783 visitors (+2.5%) in November 2019. Visitor spending was $161.7 million compared to $135.9 million (+18.9%) in November 2019. The average daily census on Kauai was 26,876 visitors in November 2022, up from 24,919 visitors (+7.9%) in November 2019.
Through the first 11 months of 2022, there were 1,223,612 visitors to Kauai compared to 1,245,672 visitors (-1.8%) in the first 11 months of 2019. For the first 11 months of 2022, total visitor spending was $1.99 billion compared to $1.73 billion (+14.8%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
Hawaii Island: There were 127,032 visitors to Hawaii Island in November 2022 compared to 131,713 visitors (-3.6%) in November 2019. Visitor spending was $192.3 million compared to $160.7 million (+19.6%) in November 2019. The average daily census on Hawaii Island was 35,491 visitors in November 2022 compared to 32,541 visitors (+9.1%) in November 2019.
Through the first 11 months of 2022, there were 1,516,081 visitors to Hawaii Island, compared to 1,585,992 visitors (-4.4%) in the first 11 months of 2019. For the first 11 months of 2022, total visitor spending was $2.39 billion compared to $2.05 billion (+16.5%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
Flights and Air Seats to Hawaii
U.S. West: There were 3,614 scheduled flights with 738,639 seats in November 2022 compared to 3,449 flights (+4.8%) with 684,892 seats (+7.8%) in November 2019.
There was reduced service from Anchorage (1,761 seats, -82.4%), Oakland (48,146, -9.0%), Portland (23,955, -29.6%), Sacramento (19,418, -11.6%), Salt Lake City (6,554, -7.7%), and San Francisco (101,579, -17.3%) compared to November 2019. Offsetting these reductions was increased service from Las Vegas (48,443, +112.5%), Long Beach (15,834, +179.3%), Los Angeles (197,445, +2.5%), Phoenix (48,755, +50.6%), San Diego (41,200, +38.2%), San Jose (53,913, +44.3%), and Seattle (93,482, +12.1%). Recently added service from Ontario, California (+5,670 seats, started March 2021) and Santa Ana (+504, started June 2021) also contributed to the growth in flights and seats in November 2022 compared to November 2019.
U.S. East: There were 374 scheduled flights with 106,458 seats in November 2022 compared to 274 flights (+36.5%) with 79,396 seats (+34.1%) in November 2019.
There was reduced service from Boston (4,726 seats, -22.7%) and Washington D.C. (-480, -55.1%) compared to November 2019. Offsetting these reductions was increased service from Atlanta (13,554, +82.2%), Chicago (15,672, +3.9%), Dallas (33,948, +46.1%) and Newark (7,294, +1.3%). There was service from Detroit (+2,712 seats) and Minneapolis (+5,198 seats) in November 2022, while service from these routes were suspended in November 2019. Recently added service from Austin, Texas (+3,614, started April 2021) also contributed to the growth.
Japan: There were 247 scheduled flights with 64,999 seats from Japan to Honolulu in November 2022. Direct service from Japan to Kona which operated in August and September 2022 was suspended in October and November 2022. In comparison, there were 596 scheduled flights (-58.6%) with 161,036 seats (-59.6%) from Japan to Honolulu and Kona in November 2019. There was increased service from Tokyo-Haneda (28,470, +18.3%); reduced service from Nagoya (796 seats, -93.3%), Osaka (9,136 seats, -72.8%), and Tokyo-Narita (26,597, -69.5%); and no service from Fukuoka (-556 seats) and Sapporo (-3,614) compared to November 2019.
Canada: There were 242 scheduled flights with 43,118 seats from Canada to Honolulu, Kahului, Kona and Lihue in November 2022 compared to 233 scheduled flights (+3.9%) with 46,266 seats (-6.8%) to the same island airports in November 2019. There was increased service from Calgary (3,896 seats, +35.3%) which was offset by reduced service from Vancouver (39,222, -9.6%) in November 2022 compared to November 2019.
Oceania:
Australia: There were 63 scheduled flights with 19,110 seats from Melbourne (3,015 seats) and Sydney (16,095) in November 2022. In November 2019, there were 84 scheduled flights (-25.0%) with 25,160 seats (-24.0%) with service from Brisbane (3,614 seats), Melbourne (3,015) and Sydney (18,531).
New Zealand: There were 26 scheduled flights with 7,540 seats from Auckland in November 2022, compared to 28 scheduled flights (-7.1%) with 8,294 seats (-9.1%) in November 2019.
Other Asia:
China: There have been no direct flights from China to Hawaii since service ended in early February 2020. In comparison, there were 26 scheduled flights with 7,592 seats from Shanghai in November 2019.
Korea: There were 72 scheduled flights with 23,208 seats from Seoul in November 2022 compared to 82 flights (-12.2%) with 26,191 seats (-11.4%) in November 2019.
Taiwan: Direct air service from Taipei has been suspended since April 2020. There were eight scheduled flights with 2,448 seats in November 2019.
Other Markets:
Guam: There were 29 scheduled flights with 10,150 seats from Guam in November 2022 compared to 30 flights (-3.3%) with 10,920 seats (-7.1%) in November 2019.
Philippines: There were 21 scheduled flights with 6,489 seats from Manila in November 2022 compared to 18 flights (+16.7%) with 5,562 seats (+16.7%) in November 2019.
Samoa: There was no direct service from Apia in November 2022 compared to five flights with 652 seats in November 2019.
Kiribati: Direct air service from Christmas Island continued to be suspended in November 2022. There were four flights with 488 seats in November 2019.
Marshall Islands: There was one scheduled flight with 166 seats from Majuro in November 2022 compared to 17 flights (-94.1%) with 2,822 seats (-94.1%) in November 2019.
Fiji: There was no direct service from Nadi in November 2022 compared to four flights with 614 seats in November 2019.
American Samoa: There were eight scheduled flights with 2,224 seats from Pago Pago in November 2022 and eight flights with 2,224 seats in November 2019.
French Polynesia: There were four scheduled flights with 1,112 seats from Papeete in November 2022 compared to seven flights (-42.9%) with 1,946 seats (-42.9%) in November 2019.
In the first 11 months of 2022, there were 54,867 trans-Pacific flights and 11,570,483 seats compared to 56,100 flights (-2.2%) and 12,366,289 seats (-6.4%) in the first 11 months of 2019.
Cruise Ship Visitors
In November 2022, 9,872 visitors came to the islands aboard five out-of-state cruise ships. One ship had a turnaround tour, which occurred when visitors that arrived on the ship toured the islands and then departed Hawaii by air. After the first group of cruise visitors left, a new group of visitors flew into Honolulu to embark this ship, toured the islands, then most of them remained with the ship to visit the next port.
In addition to the 1,374 visitors that flew into Honolulu for that turnaround tour, another 6,873 visitors flew to the state to board the Hawaii home-ported cruise ship, Pride of America in November 2022.
In November 2019, 16,529 visitors arrived on eight out-of-state cruise ships; 2,228 visitors flew into Honolulu for a turnaround tour; and another 11,012 visitors came by air to board the Pride of America.
For the first 11 months of 2022, 81,652 visitors entered Hawaii via 47 out-of-state cruise ships. There were 9,140 visitors who flew into Honolulu to board turnaround tours on out-of-state cruise ships and another 42,738 visitors came by air to board the Pride of America.
In the first 11 months of 2019, 132,195 visitors came to Hawaii by way of 62 out-of-state cruise ships. There were 7,688 visitors who flew into Honolulu to board turnaround tours on out-of-state cruise ships and 112,265 visitors came by air and boarded the Pride of America.
Statement by DBEDT Director Chris Sadayasu:
Hawaii tourism continued to steadily recover in November with international visitor recovery at 53.7 percent as compared with the same month in 2019; this is the highest international recovery rate since the start of the pandemic in April 2020. The 27,898 visitors from Japan in November 2022 represented the second highest monthly count since the pandemic and the highest recovery rate at 21.2 percent as compared with November 2019. Year-to-date through November, total visitor count recovered 88.8 percent from the same period in 2019.
While we may experience a slowdown in the U.S. visitors coming into 2023, we hope that more international visitors will be coming in the new year and our tourism recovery continues in 2023. We expect full tourism recovery in 2025.
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1/ Average daily census measures the number of visitors present on any given day.