Hawaii Visitor Statistics Released for July 2019

News Release from HTA, August 29, 2019

HONOLULU – Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $1.70 billion in July 2019, an increase of 2.4 percent compared to July 2018, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA). Hawaii Island continues to show positive signs as it recovers from last year’s downturn in visitors due to the eruption at Kīlauea volcano.

Tourism dollars from the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) helped to fund numerous community events and initiatives across the state in July, including the 49th Annual ‘Ukulele Festival Hawaii, Koloa Plantation Days on Kauai, Prince Lot Hula Festival, and the 60th Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament on the island of Hawaii.  

In July, visitor spending increased from U.S. West (+6.6% to $678.1 million) and U.S. East (+12.4% to $510.8 million) but declined from Japan (-16.5% to $172.2 million), Canada (-9.3% to $50.2 million) and All Other International Markets (-6.2% to $291.2 million) compared to a year ago.

On a statewide level, average daily visitor spending was down (-2.7% to $190 per person) in July year-over-year. Visitors from U.S. East spent more per day (+5.3% to $217 per person), while visitors from U.S. West (-0.8% to $166), Japan (-5.0% to $232), Canada (-1.5% to $158) and All Other International Markets (-15.5% to $198) spent less.

Total visitor arrivals rose 6.2 percent to 997,872 visitors in July with all arrivals via air travel. No out-of-state cruise ships visited Hawaii during July. Total visitor days increased 5.2 percent. The statewide average daily census, or the number of visitors on any given day in July, was 289,236, up 5.2 percent from last year.

Visitor arrivals by air service increased in July from U.S. West (+11.4% to 467,944), U.S. East (+8.8% to 242,182) and All Other International Markets (+4.1% to 135,521) but declined from Japan (-9.3% to 125,215) and Canada (-1.9% to 27,010) compared to July 2018.

Among the four larger islands, visitor spending on Oahu declined (-1.2% to $764.6 million) in July due to lower daily spending (-7.6%), which offset growth in visitor arrivals (+6.3% to 601,683). Visitor spending on Maui grew (+4.3% to $502.4 million) with daily spending (+2.1%) and visitor arrivals also increasing (+4.8% to 309,134). The island of Hawaii recorded increases in visitor spending (+9.1% to $219.4 million), daily spending (+1.5%) and visitor arrivals (+13.7% to 175,031). This was also the case for Kauai with growth in visitor spending (+3.3% to $201.1 million), daily spending (+0.5%) and visitor arrivals (+2.3% to 140,834).

A total of 1,254,165 trans-Pacific air seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands in July, up 4.2 percent from a year ago. Growth in air seats from U.S. East (+13.8%) and U.S. West (+7.8%) offset decreases from Canada (-11.1%), Other Asia (-10.9%) and Japan (-7.7%). Seat capacity from Oceania (+0.2%) was comparable to July 2018.

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