14 months after Maui wildfires, visitor arrivals were up from year before levels, but down from pre-pandemic October 2019

According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, there were 774,617 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in October 2024, growth of 5.4% from the same month last year. Total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $1.58 billion, up 6.2% compared to October 2023. Total visitor arrivals in October 2024 represent a 97.3% recovery rate from pre-pandemic October 2019 (796,191, -2.7%) and total nominal visitor spending increased compared to October 2019 ($1.33 billion, +19.6%).

Here on Maui, 14 months after the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires, there were 180,609 visitors to Maui in October 2024, which was higher than October 2023 (134,493 visitors, +34.3%), but below October 2019 (238,043 visitors, -24.1%), according to the state data. Visitor spending increased to $388.5 million in October 2024, compared to $332.9 million (+16.7%) in October 2023 and $379.8 million (+2.3%) in October 2019. The average daily census on Maui was 45,504 visitors in October 2024, compared to 35,979 visitors (+26.5%) in October 2023 and 59,620 visitors (-23.7%) in October 2019.

In the first 10 months of 2024, there were 1,919,866 visitors to Maui compared to 2,135,048 visitors (-10.1%) in the first 10 months of 2023 and 2,552,155 visitors (-24.8%) in the first 10 months of 2019. For the first 10 months of 2024, total visitor spending was $4.27 billion, compared to $4.95 billion (-13.7%) in the first 10 months of 2023 and $4.24 billion (+0.8%) in the first 10 months of 2019.

Statewide in October 2024, 738,989 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the US West and US East. Additionally, 35,627 visitors arrived via out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 700,390 visitors (+5.5%) arrived by air and 34,251 visitors (+4.0%) came by cruise ships in October 2023, and 775,675 visitors (-4.7%) came by air and 20,516 visitors (+73.7%) came by cruise ships in October 2019.

The average length of stay by all visitors in October 2024 was 8.33 days, which was shorter than October 2023 (8.53 days, -2.4%), but similar to October 2019 (8.38 days, -0.6%). The statewide average daily census was 208,032 visitors in October 2024, compared to 202,055 visitors (+3.0%) in October 2023 and 215,125 visitors (-3.3%) in October 2019.

In October 2024, 385,632 visitors arrived from the US West, an increase from October 2023 (362,239 visitors, +6.5%) and October 2019 (354,007 visitors, +8.9%). US West visitor spending of $738.5 million rose compared to October 2023 ($686.4 million, +7.6%) and was significantly higher than October 2019 ($538.7 million, +37.1%). Daily spending by US West visitors in October 2024 ($229 per person) increased compared to October 2023 ($221 per person, +3.4%) and was considerably more than October 2019 ($178 per person, +28.9%).

In October 2024, 167,862 visitors arrived from the US East, up from October 2023 (164,925 visitors, +1.8%) and from October 2019 (148,075 visitors, +13.4%). US East visitor spending of $416.5 million increased from October 2023 ($413.3 million, +0.8%) and October 2019 ($301.2 million, +38.3%). Daily spending by US East visitors in October 2024 ($265 per person) was about the same as October 2023 ($265 per person, -0.2%) but was much higher than October 2019 ($219 per person, +21.1%).

There were 66,957 visitors from Japan in October 2024, which was an increase from October 2023 (58,605 visitors, +14.3%) but continued to be much lower than October 2019 (134,557 visitors, -50.2%). Visitors from Japan spent $100.1 million in October 2024, compared to $87.6 million (+14.2%) in October 2023 and $195.7 million (-48.8%) in October 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in October 2024 ($245 per person) increased from October 2023 ($240 per person, +1.8%), but was lower than October 2019 ($250 per person, -2.1%).

In October 2024, 26,284 visitors arrived from Canada, similar to October 2023 (26,374 visitors, -0.3%), but significantly fewer than October 2019 (32,250 visitors, -18.5%). Visitors from Canada spent $60.7 million in October 2024, compared to $70.0 million (-13.2%) in October 2023 and $63.0 million (-3.6%) in October 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in October 2024 ($232 per person) was more than October 2023 ($226 per person, +3.0%) and considerably higher than October 2019 ($167 per person, +39.4%).

There were 92,255 visitors from all other international markets in October 2024, comprising visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, and other regions. In comparison, there were 88,248 visitors (+4.5%) from all other international markets in October 2023 and 106,786 visitors (-13.6%) in October 2019.

Air capacity to the Hawaiian Islands in October 2024 (4,680 transpacific flights with 1,033,867 seats) increased compared to October 2023 (4,607 flights, +1.6% with 1,016,203 seats, +1.7%), but declined from October 2019 (4,807 flights, -2.6% with 1,063,333 seats, -2.8%).

DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka called the October 2024 visitor statistics “encouraging,” saying: “With a recovery rate of 97.3% from pre-pandemic October 2019, this is the highest recovery rate since April 2023 (not counting February 2024, which had a leap day). The 774,617 arrivals this October are the second highest for any October on record (the highest October arrivals occurred in October 2019 when 796,191 visitors came).”

He noted that cruise visitors contributed to the growth of October visitor arrivals. “The 35,627 visitors who came by out-of-state cruise ships this October registered the highest monthly number since January 1999 when cruise visitor count was first recorded,” he said.

Based on the airline schedules, international markets will continue to be weak in the next few months, but the US markets will continue to be strong, according to Tokioka. “Air seats from the US markets (US Wet and US East) are expected to increase by 7.0% during this holiday season (November 2024-January 2025) from the same season in previous year,” he said.