Governor Josh Green, M.D.

HONOLULU, HI – According to preliminary visitor statistics released by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), a total of 889,274 visitors arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in June 2023, an increase of5.5 percent from June 2022. When compared to 2019, the benchmark year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this represents a 93.9 percent recovery in total visitor arrivals from June 2019. As measured in nominal dollars, these visitorsspent $2.00 billion in June 2023, which was higher than $1.83 billion (+9.2%) in June 2022 and $1.63 billion (+22.7%) in June 2019.

 

In June 2023, 886,038 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 3,236 visitors came via one cruise ship. In June 2022, 841,809 visitors arrived by air (+5.3%) and 1,118 visitors came by cruise ship(+189.3%). In June 2019, 946,373 visitors arrived by air (-6.4%) and 738 visitors came via two small cruise ships(+338.4%). The average length of stay by all visitors in June 2023 was 9.07 days, compared to 9.44 days (-3.9%) in June2022 and 8.80 days (+3.0%) in June 2019. The statewide average daily census¹ was 268,857 visitors in June 2023, compared to 265,157 visitors (+1.4%) in June 2022 and 277,930 visitors (-3.3%) in June 2019.

 

In June 2023, 487,370 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, which was down from June 2022 (498,358 visitors, -2.2%) but an increase compared to June 2019 (452,958 visitors, +7.6%). U.S. West visitor spending of $1.01 billion in June 2023 was higher compared to June 2022 ($963.3 million, +4.6%) and June 2019 ($691.2 million, +45.7%). Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in June 2023 ($236 per person) was up moderately from June 2022 ($215 per person, +9.5%) but was considerably more than June 2019 ($171 per person, +37.9%).

 

There were 247,299 visitors from the U.S. East in June 2023, a slight decrease from June 2022 (249,684 visitors, -1.0%) but higher than June 2019 (240,223 visitors, +2.9%). U.S. East visitor spending rose to $672.6 million in June 2023, comparedto $662.5 million (+1.5%) in June 2022

 

and $491.1 million (+36.9%) in June 2019. Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in June 2023 ($275 per person) increased in comparison to June 2022 ($260 per person, +5.5%) and was much higher than June 2019 ($210 per person, +30.8%).

 

There were 46,753 visitors from Japan in June 2023, compared to 11,940 visitors (+291.6%) in June 2022 and 126,592visitors (-63.1%) in June 2019. Visitors from Japan spent $69.4 million in June 2023, compared to $24.3 million (+185.8%) in June 2022 and $182.0 million (-61.9%) in June 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in June 2023 ($238 perperson) decreased compared to June 2022 ($244 per person, -2.5%) and June 2019 ($249 per person, -4.3%).

 

In June 2023, 19,237 visitors arrived from Canada, compared to 15,634 visitors (+23.0%) in June 2022 and 19,172 visitors(+0.3%) in June 2019. Visitors from Canada spent $44.7 million in June 2023, compared to $34.4 million (+29.9%) in June 2022 and $36.1 million (+23.9%) in June 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in June 2023 ($226 per person)increased compared to June 2022 ($196 per person, +15.1%) and was significantly more than June 2019 ($160 per person, +41.1%).

 

There were 85,379 visitors from all other international markets in June 2023, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands. In comparison, there were 66,193 visitors(+29.0%) from all other international markets in June 2022 and 107,428 visitors (-20.5%) in June 2019.

 

In June 2023, a total of 5,096 trans-Pacific flights with 1,114,054 seats serviced the Hawaiian (+0.5%) with 1,049,608 seats (+6.1%) in June 2022, and 5,399 flights (-5.6%) with 1,182,276 seats (-5.8%) in June 2019.

 

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Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka:

 

June visitor statistics indicate that our visitor industry continues a steady recovery. The total visitor arrivals of 889,274 in June 2023 was the third-highest June in our history. Japanese arrivals in June 2023 at 46,753 was the highest since March 2020 and represented a 36.9 percent recovery from the same month in 2019. In DBEDT’s tourism forecast, we expect Japanese arrivals will recover to about 50 percent of the 2019 level by the end of this year.

 

Cruise ship visitors also had a great first half of the year of 2023. With more than 80,000 visitor arrivals by ships, it marked the third-highest first-half year figure since the state began recording cruise visitors in January 1999.

 

With the accelerated recovery of international visitors, Oʻahu experienced the highest increase in visitor arrivals for the first half of 2023, and neighbor islands experienced higher increases in visitor expenditures mainly due to their higher room rates.

 

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Media Contacts:

 

Laci Goshi

Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

(808) 587-9006

[email protected]

 

Jennifer Chun

Director of Tourism Research

Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

(808) 973-9446

jennifer.e.chun@hawaii.gov