Hawaii Visitor Spending Increased 10.8 Percent to $9.26 Billion in First Half of 2018

HTA News Release (18-42) July 31, 2018

HONOLULU – Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $9.26 billion in the first half of 2018, an increase of 10.8 percent compared to the first half of last year, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).

Hawaii’s four largest visitor markets, U.S. West (+10.5% to $3.38 billion), U.S. East (+11% to $2.46 billion), Japan (+7.1% to $1.14 billion) and Canada (+6.8% to $650 million) all reported gains in visitor spending in the first half versus the same period last year. Combined visitor spending from All Other International Markets also increased (+15.5% to $1.61 billion).

Total visitor arrivals in the first half grew 8.2 percent to 4,982,843 visitors compared to a year ago comprised of arrivals by air service (+8.4% to 4,916,841) and cruise ships (-5.8% to 66,003). Visitor arrivals by air increased from U.S. West (+11.3% to 2,065,554), U.S. East (+8.3% to 1,130,783), Japan (+1.2% to 746,584), Canada (+5.7% to 305,138) and from All Other International Markets (+10% to 668,782).

All four larger Hawaiian Islands realized growth in visitor spending and arrivals in the first half compared to last year.

June 2018 Visitor Results

In June 2018, total visitor spending rose 10.3 percent to $1.60 billion compared to June of last year. Visitor spending increased from U.S. West (+14.9% to $640 million), U.S. East (+9.4% to $467.2 million), Japan (+6% to $194.5 million) and from All Other International Markets (+6.4% to $258.5 million), but declined from Canada (-1.4% to $36.7 million).

Statewide average daily spending rose to $196 per person (+1.6%) in June year-over-year. Visitors from U.S. West (+4.7% to $169 per person), U.S. East (+1.5% to $207 per person) and Japan (+0.5% to $252 per person) spent more per day, while visitors from Canada (-4.7% to $165 per person) and from All Other International Markets (-3.1% to $230 per person) spent less.

Total visitor arrivals grew 7.3 percent to 897,099 visitors in June, with more visitors coming by both air service (+7.2%) and cruise ships (+1,137 visitors). Total visitor days[1] grew 8.6 percent in June. The average daily census[2], or number of visitors on any given day in June, was 272,020, up 8.6 percent compared to June of last year.

More visitors arrived via air service in June from U.S. West (+9.8% to 408,751), U.S. East (+7.7% to 221,319) and Japan (+3.2% to 130,456) but fewer came from Canada (-1.4% to 18,894). Arrivals from All Other International Markets (+3.5% to 116,543) increased versus a year ago.

In June, Oahu recorded increases in both visitor spending (+12.3% to $760.6 million) and arrivals (+5.5% to 542,951) compared to June of last year. Maui also saw growth in visitor spending (+10.1% to $433.5 million) and arrivals (+11.5% to 280,561), as did Kauai with gains in visitor spending (+13.1% to $195.3 million) and arrivals (+9.1% to 135,484). However, the island of Hawaii recorded a slight drop in visitor spending (-0.9% to $194.3 million) and decreased arrivals (-4.8% to 149,817) compared to a year ago.

A total of 1,142,020 trans-Pacific air seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands in June, up 7.1 percent from last year. Air seat capacity increased from Oceania (+13.5%), U.S. East (+10.9%), U.S. West (+8.4%), Japan (+2.2%) and Canada (+1%), offsetting fewer seats from Other Asia (-14.4%).

[1] Aggregate number of days stayed by all visitors.

[2] Average daily census is the average number of visitors present on a single day.

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