Hawaiʻi rates highly on safety and security in visitor satisfaction survey

Most visitors see Hawai‘i as a safe and secure destination, according to the latest Visitor Satisfaction and Activity Survey released by the Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The survey complied answers to questions of visitors from the United States, Canada, Japan, Oceania, Korea and China who visited Hawai‘i in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Overall satisfaction levels among visitors from all markets surveyed remained high, with 89.6% of visitors from the US East and Canada rating their most recent trip to Hawai‘i as “excellent,” followed by 87.5% from US West, 83.9% from Korea, 78.6% from Japan and 78.5% from Oceania. First-time visitors from Japan gave higher mean scores than repeat visitors from this region.
More than 90% of visitors from all markets rated Hawai‘i as “excellent” or “above average” when it comes to being a safe and secure destination, including 99% from Canada, 97.8% from the US East, and 97.8% from the US West.

The latest survey results also showed that the experience on Maui among visitors from the US and Canada improved since the devastating August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina. The percentage of visitors to Maui who rated their trip “excellent” increased to 87.8% among visitors from the US West, 89.3% from the US East and 90.8% from Canada.

Additionally, the percentage of visitors from these markets who said they are “very likely” to return to Maui in the next five years increased among the US West (75.5%), US East (62.1%) and Canada (67.5%). 
Visitors from all markets who went to Maui cited famous landmarks or imagery and natural beauty as their primary motivation to visit, followed by outdoor or sporting activities, and events.
The department’s survey results from the fourth quarter of last year found that at least 95% of visitors from each geographic region rated the Hawaiian Islands as having met or exceeded their expectations. The majority of visitors said they would very likely recommend Hawai‘i as a destination to their friends and relatives.

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Board Chair Mufi Hannemann said: “I have always believed, in every position that I have held, that ensuring the safety and security of our residents and visitors is a top priority. Hawaiʻi’s aloha spirit and commitment to public safety reinforces our reputation as a safe and welcoming destination for travelers from around the globe.”

Hannemann also credited the Safe & Sound Waikīkī program for reducing crimes reported in the Waikīkī area over the past year and a half since its inception and underscoring the importance of continued collaboration among various stakeholders.

“The positive feedback from visitors underscores the efforts of everyone involved in the tourism sector to ensure that travelers feel safe throughout Hawai‘i,” said Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, HTA’s interim president and chief executive officer. “We extend heartfelt gratitude to our industry partners for their dedication and passion to uphold the Hawaiian Islands as a premier travel destination. Collectively with the community, we continue to shape unforgettable experiences that resonate with visitors long after they have returned home.”

Of those surveyed, at least 58% of visitors from all markets indicated they were “very likely” to return to the state of Hawai‘i in the next five years, with US West, Hawai‘i’s largest major market area, leading the way at 82.6%. Nearly three-quarters (73.5%) of visitors from Korea, followed by 65.4% of visitors from the US East and 58.6% of visitors from Japan, said they are likely to return in the near future.

Similar to previous quarters, all markets surveyed cited Hawai‘i’s high vacation costs as the biggest barrier to returning in the next five years.

The visitor satisfaction and activities survey is an ongoing look at sentiment from visitors from key visitor markets who recently completed a trip to the Hawaiian Islands. The sampled visitor markets for the fourth quarter of 2023 were: US West (Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming), US East (all other states in the Continental US), Canada, Japan, Oceania, Korea and China.

DBEDT’s Tourism Research Branch contracted Anthology Research to conduct the visitor survey. Data were collected between Oct. 6, 2023, and Jan. 8, 2024, among visitors who traveled to Hawai‘i during the fourth quarter of 2023. A total of 4,898 visitors were surveyed during this period; 1,559 from the US West, 1,589 from the US East, 229 from Japan, 897 from Canada, 313 from Oceania, 268 from Korea and 43 from China.

The full fourth quarter survey results are available here.