Visitor Spending Increased for Fifth Consecutive Month in October Visitor Arrivals Set New Record for Month of October

News Release from HTA, November 30, 2016

HONOLULU – Visitors to Hawai‘i spent a total of $1.2 billion in October 2016, a 6.8 percent increase compared to last October and the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year growth, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA). Total visitor arrivals increased 4.3 percent to set a new record of 717,486 visitors for the month of October. Total visitor days1 grew 3.8 percent compared to October 2015.

Spending by visitors increased in October 2016 from U.S. West (+12.5% to $449.6 million), U.S. East (+0.6% to $257.9 million), Japan (+5.5% to $192.1 million) and All Other International Markets (+6.2% to $257.5 million), while spending by visitors from Canada was similar (+0.5% to $56.8 million) to last October.

In October 2016, the statewide average daily spending of $197 per person was higher (+2.9%) than a year ago. Visitors from U.S. West (+7.1%), U.S. East (+1.5%), Japan (+3.4%), and Canada (+5.4%) spent more per day, while visitors from All Other International Markets spent less (-3.2%).

A total of 696,812 visitors (+4%) arrived in Hawai‘i by airlines in October 2016, with 20,673 visitors (+16.8%) coming via cruise ships. Arrivals by air rose from U.S. West (+6.5% to 287,058), Japan (+2.7% to 135,343) and All Other International Markets (+6.2% to 117,693). The number of arrivals from U.S. East (+0.2% to 129,020) was similar to last year, while arrivals from Canada (-5.1% to 27,698) declined.

Visitor arrivals increased for all of the Hawaiian Islands in October 2016 compared to the year prior. Visitor spending rose on the neighbor islands but showed no growth on O‘ahu.

The total number of air seats serving the Hawaiian Islands was flat (-0.1% to 931,243) in October 2016 compared to last year. Declines in scheduled seats from Canada (-10.7%), Oceania (-3.9%) and Japan (-1.4%) offset strong growth from Other Asia (+18%) and a marginal increase from U.S. East (+0.8%).

Year-to-Date 2016

Through the first ten months of 2016, total visitor arrivals (+2.8% to 7,416,031) and visitor spending (+4% to $12.8 billion) grew and remained on pace to set new yearly records for Hawai‘i.

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