Hawaii Visitor Statistics Released for First Quarter 2019

HTA Release (19-06), April 25, 2019

HONOLULU – Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $4.52 billion in the first quarter of 2019, a decrease of 2.4 percent compared to the first quarter of 2018[1], according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).

In the first quarter, visitor spending was flat from the U.S. West (-0.3% to $1.64 billion) and declined from U.S. East (-1.4% to $1.23 billion), Japan (-3.2% to $539.9 million), Canada (-2.0% to $455.7 million) and All Other International Markets (-8.8% to $637.7 million) compared to a year ago.

Total visitor arrivals in the first quarter grew 2.6 percent to 2,542,269 visitors, supported by arrivals via air service (+2.6% to 2,502,636) and cruise ships (-0.8% to 39,632) compared to the first quarter of 2018. Due to a shorter average length of stay by visitors from most markets, total visitor days[2] was flat (+0.2%).

Visitor arrivals by air service in the first quarter increased from U.S. West (+7.1% to 1,030,644), U.S. East (+2.0% to 578,837), Japan (+2.2% to 391,228) and Canada (+0.9% to 209,525) while combined visitor arrivals from All Other International Markets declined (-8.1% to 292,402) versus last year.

Among the four larger islands, Oahu recorded increases in both visitor spending (+4.6% to $2.01 billion) and visitor arrivals (+3.7% to 1,481,543) in the first quarter compared to a year ago. Visitor spending decreased on Maui (-5.5% to $1.33 billion) despite growth in visitor arrivals (+2.8% to 727,967). The island of Hawaii realized declines in both visitor spending (-13.3% to $648.6 million) and visitor arrivals (-9.3% to 449,615), as did Kauai with its visitor spending (-4.2% to $483.5 million) and visitor arrivals (-1.4% to 333,961).

March 2019 Visitor Results

In March 2019, total visitor spending statewide declined 2.3 percent to $1.51 billion compared to March 2018. Visitor spending rose from U.S. West (+0.7% to $576.9 million) but decreased from U.S. East (-0.6% to $402.5 million), Japan (-2.0% to $190.4 million), Canada (-5.4% to $137.4 million) and All Other International Markets (-11.1% to $195.6 million).

On a statewide level, average daily visitor spending was down (-3.0% to $192 per person) in March year-over-year. Visitors from U.S. West (-4.4%), Canada (-3.2%), Japan (-1.8%) and U.S. East
(-1.6%) spent less per day in March compared to a year ago.

A total of 939,064 visitors came to Hawaii in March, up 3.9 percent from the same month last year. Arrivals by air service (+4.1% to 927,246) increased while arrivals by cruise ships (-10.4% to 11,818) declined. Total visitor days increased 0.7 percent.

Arrivals by air service realized growth from U.S. West (+9.7%), U.S. East (+4.1%) and Canada (+1.3%) in March versus last year. Arrivals from Japan (+0.4%) was comparable while arrivals from All Other International Markets (-8.7%) declined.

The average daily census[3] of total visitors in the Hawaiian Islands on any given day in March was 253,498, an increase of 0.7 percent compared to March of last year.

On Oahu, visitor spending (+6.7% to $687.5 million) and visitor arrivals (+4.3% to 532,801) increased in March year-over-year. Visitor spending on Maui decreased (-3.3% to $442.9 million) even though arrivals increased (+5.4% to 273,846). The island of Hawaii recorded declines in both visitor spending (-19.3% to $203.0 million) and visitor arrivals (-6.7% to 163,987). Kauai also saw decreases in both visitor spending (-9.6% to $153.7 million) and visitor arrivals (-1.3% to 123,730).

A total of 1,192,137 trans-Pacific air seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands in March, up 1.6 percent from a year ago. Growth in air seats from Canada (+12.0%), U.S. East (+4.9%), Japan (+4.6%) and U.S. West (+0.9%) offset declines from Oceania (-10.5%) and Other Asia Markets (-8.4%).

[See full release here]

[1] January - March 2018 visitor spending and daily spending statistics were revised. See Technical Notes on page 5.

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

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

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