Governor Josh Green, M.D.

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

 

RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

DIRECTOR

1. EUGENE TIAN
   CHIEF STATE ECONOMIST

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 28, 2024

HAWAI‘I’S VISITOR INDUSTRY CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE IN FEBRUARY 2024

 

HONOLULU – In February 2024, a total of 772,480 visitors arrived in the Hawaiian Islands and total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $1.66 billion, according to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). There were 753,750 total visitors in February 2023 and total visitor spending was $1.64 billion. In pre-pandemic February 2019, there were 780,827 total visitors and visitor spending was $1.39 billion.

Though both visitor arrivals and expenditures increased as compared with the same month last year, February 2024 visitor statistics included a leap day and figures are not directly comparable to 2023 and 2019. For direct comparison with February 2023 and February 2019 visitor data, average daily census, the average number of visitors present in Hawai‘i on any given day, and daily visitor spending are better measures of visitor industry performance.

In February 2024, the average daily census of 236,008 total visitors declined compared to the average daily census for February 2023 (243,842 visitors, -3.2%) and the average daily census for February 2019 (246,741 visitors, -4.4%).

Daily average visitor spending was $57.1 million per day in February 2024, down from February 2023 ($58.5 million per day, -2.4%), but higher than in February 2019 ($49.6 million per day, +15.2%). Since the August 2023 Maui wildfires, both average daily visitor census and daily visitor spending have recorded seven consecutive months of year-over-year decreases.

In February 2024, 752,700 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 19,780 visitors came via out-of-state cruise ships. In February 2023, 733,640 visitors arrived by air and 20,110 visitors came by cruise ships. In February 2019, 764,513 visitors arrived by air and 16,315 visitors came by cruise ships.

There were 373,230 visitor arrivals by air service from U.S. West and visitor spending was $726.5 million in February 2024. There were 378,902 visitors in February 2023 and visitor spending was $739.7 million. In February 2019, 312,235 visitors came from this market and visitor spending was $499.7 million. The average daily census of 108,614 U.S. West visitors in February 2024 was a decrease compared to the average daily census in February 2023 (115,517 visitors, -6.0%), but higher than the average daily census in February 2019 (96,870 visitors, +12.1%). U.S. West visitors’ average spending was $25.1 million per day, lower than in February 2023 ($26.4 million per day, -5.2%), but more than in February 2019 ($17.8 million per day, +40.4%).

In February 2024, 189,952 visitors came from U.S. East and visitor spending was $486.7 million. There were 203,163 visitors in February 2023 and visitor spending was $524.1 million. In February 2019, 176,777 visitors arrived from this market and visitor spending was $371.6 million. The average daily census of 64,408 U.S. East visitors in February 2024 was down from the average daily census in February 2023 (72,055 visitors, -10.6%), but was greater than the average daily census in February 2019 (63,462 visitors, +1.5%). U.S. East visitors’ average spending was $16.8 million per day, a decrease from February 2023 ($18.7 million per day, -10.3%), but higher than February 2019 ($13.3 million per day, +26.5%).

There were 55,716 visitors from Japan and visitor spending was $82.0 million in February 2024. There were 26,650 visitors in February 2023 and visitor spending was $43.7 million. In February 2019, 120,653 visitors arrived from this market and visitor spending was $165.5 million. In February 2024, the average daily census of 11,691 Japanese visitors was much higher than the average daily census in February 2023 (6,596 visitors, +77.2%), but remained below the average daily census in February 2019 (24,408 visitors, -52.1%). Average spending by Japanese visitors in February 2024 was $2.8 million per day, an increase from February 2023 ($1.6 million per day, +81.1%), but less than February 2019 ($5.9 million per day, -52.2%).

In February 2024, 52,048 visitors arrived from Canada and visitor spending was $136.2 million. There were 54,860 visitors in February 2023 and visitor spending was $147.2 million. In February 2019, 66,590 visitors came from Canada and visitor spending was $153.0 million. The average daily census of 20,977 Canadian visitors in February 2024 was a decrease from the average daily census in February 2023 (23,164 visitors, -9.4%) and from the average daily census in February 2019 (29,741 visitors, -29.5%). Canadian visitors’ average spending was $4.7 million per day, down from February 2023 ($5.3 million per day, -10.7%) and from February 2019 ($5.5 million per day, -14.1%).

There were 81,753 visitors from all other international markets in February 2024, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands. There were 70,065 visitors from all other international markets in February 2023 and 88,258 visitors in February 2019. The average daily census of 27,166 visitors from all other international markets in February 2024 was greater than the average daily census in February 2023 (23,028 visitors, +18.0%), but remained lower than the average daily census in February 2019 (29,939 visitors, -9.3%).

In February 2024, a total of 4,679 transpacific flights with 1,044,478 seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands. There were 4,659 flights with 1,029,708 seats in February 2023, and 4,611 flights with 1,010,961 seats in February 2019.

VIEW FULL NEWS RELEASE AND TABLES

 

Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka:

 

The visitor statistics indicate that our tourism industry continues to be soft. The main reasons for the weakness include the continued impact of the Maui wildfires and the shift of U.S. and Canadian visitors to other international destinations due to currency appreciation. The currency situation is expected to improve when the Federal Reserve starts to cut interest rates during the second half of 2024.

We are pleased to see the Japan market and other international markets continue to recover during the first two months of this year. With Governor Green’s most recent trip to Japan to strengthen tourism opportunities in partnership with the U.S. government, the Japanese government, and the private sector, we are optimistic about the outcomes to support travel and economic growth for Hawaiʻi and Japan.

 

 

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Media Contacts:

 

Laci Goshi

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

808-518-5480

[email protected]

 

Jennifer Chun

Director of Tourism Research

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

808-973-9446

[email protected]