TOTAL VISITOR ARRIVALS AND VISITOR SPENDING DECLINED FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT MONTH COMPARED TO 2022

DBEDT News Release, November 30, 2023 (excerpts)

HONOLULU—According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), both visitor arrivals and visitor spending declined for the third straight month compared to 2022, as Hawaii’s visitor industry continued to feel the impact of the August Lahaina wildfires. A total of 734,582 visitors came in October 2023, down 3.2 percent from October 2022. When compared to pre-pandemic 2019, this represents a 92.3 percent recovery in total visitor arrivals from October 2019. As measured in nominal dollars, total visitor spending was $1.51 billion in October 2023, a decrease from October 2022 ($1.54 billion, -2.0%), but higher than October 2019 ($1.33 billion, +13.8%).

In October 2023, 700,293 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 34,290 visitors came via 17 out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 727,400 visitors (-3.7%) arrived by air and 31,208 visitors (+9.9%) came by cruise ships in October 2022, and 775,675 visitors (-9.7%) arrived by air and 20,516 visitors (+67.1%) came by cruise ships in October 2019. The average length of stay by all visitors in October 2023 was 8.49 days, compared to 9.00 days (-5.7%) in October 2022 and 8.38 days (+1.4%) in October 2019. The statewide average daily census¹ was 201,171 visitors in October 2023, compared to 220,230 visitors (-8.7%) in October 2022 and 215,125 visitors (-6.5%) in October 2019….

Island Highlights

Oahu: There were 448,096 visitors to Oahu in October 2023, compared to 390,603 visitors (+14.7%) in October 2022 and 469,339 visitors (-4.5%) in October 2019. Visitor spending was $673.3 million in October 2023, compared to $668.4 million (+0.7%) in October 2022 and $603.8 million (+11.5%) in October 2019. The average daily census on Oahu was 99,496 visitors in October 2023, compared to 90,397 visitors (+10.1%) in October 2022 and 97,715 visitors (+1.8%) in October 2019.

In the first 10 months of 2023, there were 4,660,562 visitors to Oahu, compared to 3,979,656 visitors (+17.1%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and 5,127,219 visitors (-9.1%) in the first 10 months of 2019. For the first 10 months of 2023, total visitor spending was $7.47 billion, up from $7.08 billion (+5.5%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and $6.72 billion (+11.3%) in the first 10 months of 2019.

Maui: Six weeks after the wildfires, a phased reopening of West Maui to visitors began on October 8, 2023. Historic Lahaina Town and the surrounding areas remained closed out of respect for the residents and for continuing relief efforts. In October 2023, there were 132,909 visitors on Maui, down significantly compared to October 2022 (230,512 visitors, -42.3%) and October 2019 (238,043 visitors, -44.2%). Visitor spending was $326.2 million in October 2023, much lower than October 2022 ($435.9 million, -25.2%) and October 2019 ($379.8 million, -14.1%). The average daily census on Maui was 35,526 visitors in October 2023, compared to 59,372 visitors (-40.2%) in October 2022 and 59,620 visitors (-40.4%) in October 2019.

In the first 10 months of 2023, there were 2,118,827 visitors to Maui, compared to 2,429,699 visitors (-12.8%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and 2,552,155 visitors (-17.0%) in the first 10 months of 2019. For the first 10 months of 2023, total visitor spending was $4.87 billion, compared to $4.79 billion (+1.8%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and $4.24 billion (+15.0%) in the first 10 months of 2019.

Kauai: There were 109,337 visitors to Kauai in October 2023, compared to 109,324 visitors (+0.0%) in October 2022 and 102,662 visitors (+6.5%) in October 2019. Visitor spending was $233.2 million in October 2023, compared to $174.0 million in October 2022 (+34.1%) and $141.9 million (+64.3%) in October 2019. The average daily census on Kauai was 26,469 visitors in October 2023, compared to 26,439 visitors (+0.1%) in October 2022 and 23,338 visitors (+13.4%) in October 2019.

In the first 10 months of 2023, there were 1,189,658 visitors to Kauai, compared to 1,121,603 visitors (+6.1%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and 1,141,889 visitors (+4.2%) in the first 10 months of 2019. For the first 10 months of 2023, total visitor spending was $2.28 billion, compared to $1.86 billion (+22.5%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and $1.60 billion (+42.8%) in the first 10 months of 2019.

Hawaii Island: There were 133,081 visitors to Hawaii Island in October 2023, compared to 141,537 visitors (-6.0%) in October 2022 and 130,336 visitors (+2.1%) in October 2019. Visitor spending was $246.1 million in October 2023, compared to $227.9 million (+8.0%) in October 2022 and $177.0 million (+39.1%) in October 2019. The average daily census on Hawaii Island was 33,752 visitors in October 2023, compared to 37,299 visitors (-9.5%) in October 2022 and 30,048 visitors (+12.3%) in October 2019.

In the first 10 months of 2023, there were 1,467,919 visitors to Hawaii Island, compared to 1,381,179 visitors (+6.3%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and 1,454,279 visitors (+0.9%) in the first 10 months of 2019. For the first 10 months of 2023, total visitor spending was $2.44 billion, compared to $2.23 billion (+9.5%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and $1.89 billion (+29.1%) in the first 10 months of 2019….

In October 2023, a total of 4,600 transpacific flights with 1,015,687 seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands, compared to 4,572 flights (+0.6%) with 974,071 seats (+4.3%) in October 2022 and 4,807 flights (-4.3%) with 1,063,333 seats (-4.5%) in October 2019.

Year-to-Date 2023

In the first 10 months of 2023, total visitor spending was $17.29 billion, up from $16.15 billion (+7.1%) in the first 10 months of 2022 and from $14.63 billion (+18.2%) in the first 10 months of 2019.

A total of 8,052,455 visitors arrived to the state in the first 10 months of 2023, an increase of 5.5 percent from 7,633,208 visitors in the first 10 months of 2022. Total arrivals declined 6.6 percent when compared to 8,625,156 visitors in the first 10 months of 2019….

read … Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism | Total Visitor Arrivals and Visitor Spending Declined for the Third Straight Month Compared to 2022 (hawaii.gov)

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