Hawai‘i Visitor Spending Increased 10.1 Percent to $4.82 Billion in First Quarter 2018

News Release from HTA, April 26, 2018

HONOLULU – Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $4.82 billion in the first quarter of 2018, an increase of 10.1 percent compared to the first quarter of 2017, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA).

Hawai‘i’s four largest visitor markets, U.S. West (+8.8% to $1.67 billion), U.S. East (+12.8% to $1.28 billion), Japan (+9.3% to $615.6 million) and Canada (+7.6% to $468.2 million) all reported gains in visitor spending in the first quarter versus a year ago. In addition, combined visitor spending from All Other International Markets increased (+11.1% to $777 million).

Total visitor arrivals in the first quarter grew 9.4 percent to 2,478,604 visitors compared to last year supported by growth in arrivals via air service (+9.7% to 2,438,647), which offset fewer arrivals by cruise ships (-2.5% to 39,957). Visitor arrivals by air service increased from U.S. West (+13.4% to 962,462), U.S. East (+9.6% to 567,495) and Canada (+6.3% to 207,686), while arrivals from Japan was flat (-0.3% to 382,665). Combined visitor arrivals from All Other International Markets also increased (+14.3% to 318,338).

All four larger Hawaiian Islands realized growth in visitor spending and arrivals in the first quarter compared to a year ago.

March 2018 Visitor Results

In March 2018, total visitor spending rose 13.5 percent to $1.61 billion compared to March 2017. Visitor spending increased from U.S. West (+12.4% to $586 million), U.S. East (+22.1% to $419.9 million), Japan (+18% to $220.8 million), Canada (+7.2% to $148.2 million) and from All Other International Markets (+2.7% to $232 million).

Statewide average daily spending rose to $207 per person (+2.9%) in March year-over-year. Visitors spent more on a daily basis from Japan (+18.8% to $271 per person), U.S. East (+8.4% to $213 per person), Canada (+4% to $166 per person) and U.S. West (+0.7% to $187 per person). However, average daily spending by visitors from All Other International markets declined (-12.7% to $248 per person) in March versus last year.

Total visitor arrivals grew 12.5 percent to 903,550 visitors in March, with more visitors coming by both air service (+12.3%) and cruise ships (+30.1%). Total visitor days1 grew 10.3 percent in March. The average daily census2 , or number of visitors on any given day in March, was 251,711, up 10.3 percent compared to March of last year.

More visitors arrived via air service in March from U.S. West (+13.8% to 364,290), U.S. East (+15% to 213,087), Japan (+1.8% to 139,250), Canada (+7.5% to 74,660) and All Other International Markets (+22.4% to 99,070) versus a year ago.

All four larger Hawaiian Islands recorded year-over-year growth in visitor spending and visitor arrivals in March.

A total of 1,173,108 trans-Pacific air seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands in March, up 11.6 percent from last year. Growth in air seat capacity was realized from U.S. East (+18.5%), U.S. West (+15.2%), Oceania (+7.9%), Other Asia (+4.3%) and Japan (+0.6%).

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