HAWAII’S TOURISM INDUSTRY WAS HEALTHY IN MARCH 2023
News Release from DBEDT, April 27, 2023
HONOLULU—According to preliminary visitor statistics released by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), a total of 900,800 visitors arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in March 2023, an increase of 14.2 percent from March 2022. When compared to 2019, the benchmark year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this represents a 97.0 percent recovery in total visitor arrivals from March 2019. As measured in nominal dollars, these visitors spent $1.84 billion in March 2023, up from $1.53 billion (+20.4%) in March 2022 and $1.49 billion (+23.4%) in March 2019.
In March 2023, 892,239 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 8,561 visitors arrived by cruise ships during the month. In March 2022, 785,715 visitors arrived by air (+13.6%) and 3,216 visitors came by cruise ships (+166.2%). In March 2019, 917,026 visitors arrived by air (-2.7%) and 11,824 visitors came by cruise ships (-27.6%). The average length of stay by all visitors in March 2023 was 8.69 days, compared to 8.91 days (-2.5%) in March 2022 and 8.36 days (+4.0%) in March 2019. The statewide average daily census ¹ was 252,633 visitors in March 2023, compared to 226,857 visitors (+11.4%) in March 2022 and 250,528 visitors (+0.8%) in March 2019.
In March 2023, 464,295 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, compared to 452,752 (+2.5%) in March 2022 and 399,049 visitors (+16.4%) in March 2019. U.S. West visitors spent $838.5 million in March 2023, compared to $805.5 million (+4.1%) in March 2022 and $578.1 million (+45.1%) in March 2019. Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in March 2023 ($220 per person) was up slightly from March 2022 ($215 per person, +2.4%), but was much higher compared to March 2019 ($176 per person, +25.4%).
There were 245,466 visitors from the U.S. East in March 2023, compared to 233,286 visitors (+5.2%) in March 2022 and 225,648 visitors (+8.8%) in March 2019. U.S. East visitors spent $577.3 million in March 2023, compared to $507.0 million (+13.9%) in March 2022 and $404.5 million (+42.7%) in March 2019. Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in March 2023 ($257 per person) increased in comparison to March 2022 ($237 per person, +8.5%) and March 2019 ($201 per person, +27.8%).
There were 40,039 visitors from Japan in March 2023, compared to 4,038 visitors (+891.6%) in March 2022 and 133,858 visitors (-70.1%) in March 2019. Visitors from Japan spent $61.3 million in March 2023, compared to $11.8 million (+419.0%) in March 2022 and $185.2 million (-66.9%) in March 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in March 2023 ($232 per person) increased compared to March 2022 ($224 per person, +3.4%), but was lower than March 2019 ($238 per person, -2.5%).
In March 2023, 64,377 visitors arrived from Canada, compared to 54,475 visitors (+18.2%) in March 2022 and 76,913 visitors (-16.3%) in March 2019. Visitors from Canada spent $162.4 million in March 2023, compared to $116.1 million (+39.9%) in March 2022 and $139.8 million (+16.2%) in March 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in March 2023 ($213 per person) increased significantly, compared to March 2022 ($173 per person, +23.4%), and March 2019 ($158 per person, +35.4%).
There were 78,062 visitors from All Other International Markets in March 2023, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, Philippines, and the Pacific Islands. In comparison, there were 41,164 visitors (+89.6%) from All Other International Markets in March 2022 and 81,558 visitors (-4.3%) in March 2019.
In March 2023, a total of 5,431 trans-Pacific flights with 1,199,482 seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands, compared to 5,573 flights (-2.5%) with 1,161,904 seats (+3.2%) in March 2022, and 5,445 flights (-0.3%) with 1,192,137 (+0.6%) in March 2019.
Year-to-Date 2023
In the first quarter of 2023, total visitor spending was $5.37 billion, up significantly from $4.23 billion (+26.8%) in the first quarter of 2022, and from $4.49 billion (+19.5%) in the first quarter of 2019.
A total of 2,446,331 visitors arrived in the first quarter of 2023, which was a 22.7 percent increase from 1,993,761 visitors in the first quarter of 2022. Total arrivals were down 3.2 percent when compared to 2,527,277 visitors in the first quarter of 2019.
Other Highlights
U.S. West: In March 2023, 340,741 visitors arrived from the Pacific region and 123,145 visitors came from the Mountain region. Most of the U.S. West visitors in March 2023 had been to Hawaii before (80.2%), while 19.8 percent were first-time visitors. In terms of accommodations, 51.3 percent of the U.S. West visitors in March 2023 stayed in hotels, 17.6 percent stayed in condominiums, 12.7 percent stayed with friends and relatives, 12.5 percent stayed in rental homes and 8.8 percent stayed in timeshares.
In the first quarter of 2023, there were 1,226,548 visitors from the U.S. West, compared to 1,156,009 visitors (+6.1%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 1,028,938 visitors (+19.2%) in the first quarter of 2019.
U.S. West visitors spent $2.38 billion in the first quarter of 2023, compared to $2.24 billion (+6.4%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $1.63 billion (+45.8%) in the first quarter of 2019. The average daily visitor spending in the first quarter of 2023 was $223 per person, a slight increase from $221 per person (+1.2%) in the first quarter of 2022, but up considerably from $180 per person (+24.3%) in the first quarter of 2019.
U.S. East: In March 2023, East North Central (55,884 visitors), West South Central (48,392 visitors) and South Atlantic (48,250 visitors) were the three largest regions in terms of visitor arrivals. Six out of ten U.S. East visitors in March 2023 had been to Hawaii before (59.7%), while 40.3 percent were first-time visitors. In terms of lodging, 60.4 percent of the U.S. East visitors in March 2023 stayed in hotels, 13.5 percent stayed in condominiums, 12.2 percent stayed with friends and relatives, 11.1 percent stayed in rental homes, and 7.7 percent stayed in timeshares.
In the first quarter of 2023, 661,915 visitors arrived from the U.S. East, compared to 604,008 (+9.6%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 587,678 visitors (+12.6%) in the first quarter of 2019.
U.S. East visitors spent $1.72 billion in the first quarter of 2023, compared to $1.47 billion (+16.8%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $1.24 billion (+38.8%) in the first quarter of 2019. Daily visitor spending in the first quarter of 2023 increased to $257 per person, compared to $238 per person (+8.2%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $209 per person (+23.1%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Japan: Of the 40,039 visitors in March 2023, 39,275 arrived on international flights and 764 came on domestic flights. Three out of four Japanese visitors in March 2023 were repeat visitors (74.8%) while 25.2 percent were first-time visitors to the islands. In terms of lodging, 74.2 percent of the visitors in March 2023 stayed in hotels, 15.6 percent stayed in condominiums, 11.5 percent stayed in timeshares, and 2.3 percent stayed with friends and relatives.
In the first quarter of 2023, there were 98,994 visitors from Japan, compared to 9,068 visitors (+991.6%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 374,929 visitors (-73.6%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Visitors from Japan spent $163.2 million in the first quarter of 2023, compared to $31.5 million (+418.2%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $524.1 million (-68.9%) in the first quarter of 2019. Daily visitor spending in the first quarter of 2023 increased to $235 per person, compared to $215 per person (+9.2%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $240 per person (-2.0%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Canada: Of the 64,377 visitors in March 2023, 55,856 visitors arrived via direct air service from Canada and 8,521 visitors came on domestic flights. Seven out of ten Canadian visitors in March 2023 were repeat visitors (70.6%) while 29.4 percent were first timers to Hawaii. In terms of lodging, 50.1 percent of Canadian visitors in March 2023 stayed in hotels, 28.3 percent stayed in condominiums, 11.3 percent stayed in rental homes, 9.1 percent stayed in timeshares, and 5.9 percent stayed with friends and relatives.
In the first quarter of 2023, there were 175,738 visitors from Canada, compared to 107,072 visitors (+64.1%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 213,190 visitors (-17.6%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Visitors from Canada spent $464.1 million in the first quarter of 2023, compared to $264.3 million (+75.6%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $458.3 million (+1.3%) in the first quarter of 2019. Daily visitor spending in the first quarter of 2023 increased to $215 per person, from $176 per person (+22.1%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $169 per person (+27.1%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Island Highlights
Oahu: There were 487,393 visitors to Oahu in March 2023, compared to 404,274 visitors (+20.6%) in March 2022 and 523,904 visitors (-7.0%) in March 2019. Visitor spending was $731.4 million in March 2023, compared to $672.8 million (+8.7%) in March 2022, and $672.9 million (+8.7%) in March 2019. The average daily census on Oahu was 110,626 visitors in March 2023, compared to 96,050 visitors (+15.2%) in March 2022, and 111,696 visitors (-1.0%) in March 2019.
In the first quarter of 2023, there were 1,335,130 visitors to Oahu, compared to 990,208 visitors (+34.8%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 1,467,031 visitors (-9.0%) in the first quarter of 2019. For the first quarter of 2023, total visitor spending was $2.11 billion, up from $1.78 billion (+18.5%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $1.98 billion (+6.4%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Maui: There were 276,485 visitors to Maui in March 2023, compared to 239,538 visitors (+15.4%) in March 2022, and 271,934 visitors (+1.7%) in March 2019. Visitor spending was $619.9 million in March 2023, compared to $458.8 million in March 2022 (+35.1%), and $443.3 million (+39.8%) in March 2019. The average daily census on Maui was 70,111 visitors in March 2023, compared to 63,948 visitors (+9.6%) in March 2022, and 69,349 visitors (+1.1%) in March 2019.
In the first quarter of 2023, there were 725,969 visitors to Maui, compared to 616,048 visitors (+17.8%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 726,959 visitors (-0.1%) in the first quarter of 2019. For the first quarter of 2023, total visitor spending was $1.79 billion, compared to $1.29 billion (+38.8%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $1.33 billion (+34.1%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Kauai: There were 122,585 visitors to Kauai in March 2023, compared to 106,544 visitors (+15.1%) in March 2022, and 122,876 visitors (-0.2%) in March 2019. Visitor spending was $222.5 million in March 2023, compared to $159.9 million in March 2022 (+39.1%), and $152.6 million (+45.8%) in March 2019. The average daily census on Kauai was 29,003 visitors in March 2023, compared to 27,263 visitors (+6.4%) in March 2022, and 28,844 visitors (+0.6%) in March 2019.
In the first quarter of 2023, there were 330,090 visitors to Kauai, compared to 279,801 visitors (+18.0%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 333,462 visitors (-1.0%) in the first quarter of 2019. For the first quarter of 2023, total visitor spending was $660.9 million, compared to $470.3 million (+40.5%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $481.9 million (+37.1%) in the first quarter of 2019.
Hawaii Island: There were 161,172 visitors to Hawaii Island in March 2023, compared to 141,854 visitors (+13.6%) in March 2022, and 161,087 visitors (+0.1%) in March 2019. Visitor spending was $236.9 million in March 2023, compared to $217.3 million (+9.1%) in March 2022, and $200.7 million (+18.0%) in March 2019. The average daily census on Hawaii Island was 39,862 visitors in March 2023, compared to 37,725 visitors (+5.7%) in March 2022, and 37,520 visitors (+6.2%) in March 2019.
In the first quarter of 2023, there were 446,993 visitors to Hawaii Island, compared to 375,031 visitors (+19.2%) in the first quarter of 2022, and 446,877 visitors (0.0%) in the first quarter of 2019. For the first quarter of 2023, total visitor spending was $741.1 million, compared to $652.0 million (+13.7%) in the first quarter of 2022, and $646.4 million (+14.7%) in the first quarter of 2019.
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