File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Sonia Isotov

Total visitor expenditures for Maui in 2012 increased 18.8% to $3.6 billion, according to preliminary statistics released by the Hawaiian Tourism Authority.

“In 2009, we hit a low of $27 million in visitor spending per day, $930 million in state tax revenue and supported 133,000 jobs,” said Mike McCartney, president and chief executive officer, in a written statement.

“Today, just three years later, daily visitor spending has topped $39 million (+$12 million), state tax revenue reached $1.58 billion (+$650 million) and tourism is supporting 167,000 jobs (+34,000).

Arrivals by air for Maui increased by 5.9% to 2,295,867 visitor arrivals in 2012.

In December 2012 only, increased daily spending (+8.3% to $196 per person) and arrivals (+6.5% to 208,223 visitors) contributed to a 13.3% growth in Maui’s total visitor expenditures to $357.8 million.

Growth in arrivals from US West (+6.6% to 94,231), US East (+7.4% to 51,400) and Japan (+4.8% to 5,298) offset a 5.8% drop from Canada (to 32,601).

Statewide, growth in total visitor expenditures and arrivals in every month of the year elevated annual 2012 total visitor expenditures to a record $14.3 billion, according to preliminary statistics released by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. A record 7,998,815 total visitors (+9.6%) came to the state in 2012, exceeding the previous high of 7,628,118 visitors in 2006.

For the month of December 2012, total visitor expenditures statewide rose 14.9% (or +$184.6 million) to $1.4 billion, boosted by higher daily spending (+9.4% to $194 per person) and a 6.3% growth in total arrivals (to 733,709 visitors).