DBEDT: Visitor spending on Maui eclipses pre-pandemic levels in February despite fewer travelers

Visitor spending on Maui reached $19.1 million per day in February 2025, up almost 25% from the same month last year, according to preliminary data from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Daily visitor spending in February 2025 also eclipsed pre-pandemic levels in February 2019 by 29.2%, and nearly matched Maui’s pre-fire February 2023 performance, which had been $19.3 million per day.

While daily spending grew from February 2024 and February 2019, visitor numbers remained lower than before both the August 2023 wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. Maui averaged 58,885 visitors on any given day in February 2025, down 11.2% from February 2023 (66,332 visitors) before the wildfires. The average daily census was also 12.2% under the pre-pandemic levels of February 2019 (67,040 visitors).

However, visitor numbers have shown signs of recovery following the fire. Compared to one year ago in February 2024, Maui reported just 51,976 visitors on any given day. It rebounded to 58,885 visitors in February 2025, a 13.3% increase.

In the first two months of 2025, Maui saw 58,303 visitors on any given day, a 10.6% increase from the first two months of 2024 (52,700 visitors), but 14.9% fewer than the first two months of 2019 (68,519 visitors). Total visitor spending on Maui was $18.0 million per day in the first two months of 2025, which was greater than the first two months of 2024 by 14.4% ($15.8 million per day) and the first two months of 2019 by 20% ($15 million per day).

Statewide visitor statistics

Statewide in February 2025, total visitor spending took a leap forward to $61.7 million per day, up 8% from February 2024 ($57.1 million per day) and much higher than February 2019 ($49.6 million per day, +24.4%).

As a state, February 2025’s average daily visitor spending at $256.40 per visitor was the highest level historically in nominal terms, according to the state’s report. Though the inflation rate is not available for February, it is likely that the visitor spending is an increase (6% in nominal terms) after adjusting for inflation (January 2025 Honolulu consumer inflation was 4.1%). 

The average daily census for the state was 240,525, which was also an increase from February 2024 (236,008 visitors, +1.9%), but — similar to Maui (only less drastic) — fewer than pre-pandemic February 2019 (246,741 visitors, -2.5%).

February 2025 visitor demographic breakdown

1. Increase in US West Visitors (up from pre-pandemic levels):

• February 2025 saw a 2.7% increase in the average daily census of US West visitors compared to February 2024.
• There was a 15.2% increase from February 2019.
• Spending by US West visitors also saw significant growth, with a 13.1% increase from February 2024 and a 58.8% increase from February 2019.

2. Increase in US East Visitors (up from pre-pandemic levels):

• The average daily census for US East visitors increased by 7.4% compared to February 2024 and 9.0% compared to February 2019.
• Spending by US East visitors grew by 14.7% from February 2024 and 45.1% from February 2019.

3. Decrease in Japanese Visitors (not returned to pre-pandemic levels):

• The average daily census of Japanese visitors decreased by 14.5% from February 2024 and 59.1% from February 2019.
• Spending by Japanese visitors also dropped by 14.1% from February 2024 and 58.8% from February 2019.

4. Decrease in Canadian Visitors (not returned to pre-pandemic levels):

• The average daily census of Canadian visitors declined by 1.4% from February 2024 and 30.4% from February 2019.
• However, their spending increased by 6.2% from February 2024 but decreased by 8.7% from February 2019.

5. Decrease in Visitors from Other International Markets (not returned to pre-pandemic levels):

• Visitors from all other international markets (Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, etc.) saw a 4.9% decrease compared to February 2024 and a 13.7% decrease from February 2019.

6. Increase in Cruise Ship Visitors:

• The average daily census of out-of-state cruise ship visitors increased by 4.1% from February 2024 and 41.4% from February 2019.

7. Decrease in Flights and Air Seats:

• The number of transpacific flights and air seats decreased slightly (by a couple hundred of air seats) from both February 2024 and February 2019, with fewer flights and seats from Japan, Canada, Korea and Australia, offset by growth from the US mainland.