VISITOR INDUSTRY RECORDED FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR-OVER-YEAR GROWTH IN NOVEMBER 2024

News Release from DBEDT, December 31, 2024

HONOLULU – According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 770,940 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in November 2024, growth of 5.3 percent compared to the same month last year. Total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $1.55 billion, up 2.0 percent from November 2023. November marked the fourth-consecutive month with year-over-year growth in both visitor arrivals and expenditures. Total visitor arrivals in November 2024 represent a 95.3 percent recovery rate from pre-pandemic November 2019 (809,076, -4.7%) and total nominal visitor spending increased compared to November 2019 ($1.34 billion, +16.0%).

In November 2024, 762,662 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 8,278 visitors arrived via out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 721,342 visitors (+5.7%) arrived by air and 10,936 visitors (-24.3%) came by cruise ships in November 2023, and 792,547 visitors (-3.8%) came by air and 16,529 visitors (-49.9%) came by cruise ships in November 2019.

The average length of stay by all visitors in November 2024 was 8.43 days, which was shorter than November 2023 (8.76 days, -3.8%), but longer than November 2019 (8.30 days, +1.6%). The statewide average daily census was 216,590 visitors in November 2024, compared to 213,795 visitors (+1.3%) in November 2023 and 223,746 visitors (-3.2%) in November 2019.

In November 2024, 412,996 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, an increase from November 2023 (380,613 visitors, +8.5%) and November 2019 (375,244 visitors, +10.1%). U.S. West visitor spending of $748.8 million grew compared to November 2023 ($741.5 million, +1.0%) and was significantly higher than November 2019 ($563.8 million, +32.8%). Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in November 2024 ($222 per person) decreased compared to November 2023 ($231 per person, -4.1%) but was considerably more than November 2019 ($179 per person, +24.0%).

In November 2024,163,237 visitors arrived from the U.S. East, up from November 2023 (152,721 visitors, +6.9%) and from November 2019 (150,386 visitors, +8.5%). U.S. East visitor spending of $410.3 million increased from November 2023 ($375.2 million, +9.3%) and November 2019 ($306.8 million, +33.7%). Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in November 2024 ($273 per person) was higher than November 2023 ($255 per person, +7.1%) and November 2019 ($221 per person, +23.3%).

There were 60,684 visitors from Japan in November 2024, which was a decrease from November 2023 (63,416 visitors, -4.3%) and much lower than November 2019 (131,536 visitors, -53.9%). Visitors from Japan spent $88.8 million in November 2024, compared to $96.4 million (-7.9%) in November 2023 and $189.4 million (-53.1%) in November 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in November 2024 ($252 per person) increased slightly from November 2023 ($251 per person, +0.3%), but was less than November 2019 ($256 per person, -1.4%).

In November 2024, 48,533 visitors arrived from Canada, a decline compared to November 2023 (50,252 visitors, -3.4%) and November 2019 (50,598 visitors, -4.1%). Visitors from Canada spent $114.7 million in November 2024, compared to $136.2 million (-15.8%) in November 2023 and $98.3 million (+16.7%) in November 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in November 2024 ($224 per person) was slightly lower compared to November 2023 ($225 per person, -0.6%), but considerably more than November 2019 ($165 per person, +36.1%).

There were 77,213 visitors from all other international markets in November 2024, comprising visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands and other regions. In comparison, there were 74,340 visitors (+3.9%) from all other international markets in November 2023 and 84,783 visitors (-8.9%) in November 2019.

Air capacity to the Hawaiian Islands in November 2024 (4,795 transpacific flights with 1,061,794 seats) increased compared to November 2023 (4,768 flights, +0.6% with 1,048,787 seats, +1.2%), but declined from November 2019 (4,881 flights, -1.8% with 1,072,626 seats, -1.0%).

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Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka

We are pleased to see the continued recovery in our tourism industry in November 2024. U.S. visitors accounted for 77.1 percent of the total arrivals by air service during the first 11 months of 2024, 10 percentage points higher than the share of U.S. visitors during the same period in 2019. The strong economic growth in the country contributed to the increased travel demand from other states in the country.

Year-to-date through November, international visitor arrivals by air service recovered 64.5 percent of the 2019 level for the same period, while Japanese visitor arrivals recovered 45.1 percent. With the expectation of moderate economic growth in the Japanese economy and improvement of the exchange rate, we anticipate more Japanese visitors in 2025, but the full market recovery may take a few years.

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