Maui Visitor Spending and Arrivals Surpass 2016 Numbers

Keawakapu Beach in Kihei. PC: Nikki Schenfeld

Visitor spending on Maui rose (+2.7% to $359.4 million) in November 2017, boosted by growth in visitor days (+5.8%), and visitor arrivals (+9.3% to 215,266), according to preliminary data released today by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.

Visitor arrivals on Maui increased with more visitors from Canada (+16.4%), US East (+10.1%), US West (+7.5%) and Japan (+5.6%). The data shows that year-to-date on Maui, visitor spending (+4% to $4.27 billion) and arrivals (+3.7% to 2,483,686) surpassed the totals covering the same timeframe in 2016.

In November 2017, visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $1.29 billion, an increase of 4.5% compared to a year ago. Total visitor arrivals grew 7.3% to 748,303 visitors, comprising of arrivals from air service (+7.5% to 738,519) and cruise ships (-1.2% to 9,784).

The US West market led the growth in visitor spending (+8.7% to $500.9 million), boosted by growth in arrivals (+9.1% to 322,195) and higher daily spending (+1.6% to $176 per person).

The US East market also recorded a gain compared to a year ago. Total spending increased (+5.2% to $266 million), as did spending per day (+2.4% to $210 per person). Arrivals grew (+4% to 132,683).

The Japan market saw a decrease in visitor spending (-6.2% to $183.3 million) in November. While visitor arrivals (+0.2% to 130,168) and average length of stay (+0.7% to 5.64 days) were comparable to a year ago, average daily spending declined (-7% to $250 per person).

However, there was strong growth in visitor spending from the Canada market (+11.5% to $96.4 million) in November. A substantial increase in visitor arrivals (+18.4% to 51,785) offset a decrease in average daily spending (-3.2% to $156 per person) compared to last November.

All four larger Hawaiian Islands saw growth in visitor spending and arrivals in November compared to last year.

Total air seats serving Hawaiʻi rose (+5% to 964,993) in November year-over-year, with increases in scheduled air seats from Canada (+21.4%), Other Asia (+20.1%), Oceania (+6.3%), US West (+3.9%), Japan (+2.1%) and US East (+1.1%).

Year-to-Date 2017

Through the first 11 months of 2017, visitor spending (+6.6% to $15.15 billion) exceeded the results from the same period last year, bolstered by growth in visitor arrivals (+4.9% to 8,502,545) and average daily spending (+1.8% to $200 per person).

Visitor spending has increased from US West (+9.8% to $5.57 billion), US East (+10.2% to $3.82 billion), Japan (+8.3% to $2.05 billion) and Canada (+9.2% to $902.1 million), but declined from All Other International markets (-5% to $2.77 billion).

Year-to-date, visitor arrivals have increased from US West (+4.7% to 3,482,253), US East (+5.8% to 1,806,312), Japan (+5.8% to 1,442,675), Canada (+10.5% to 448,936) and All Other International markets (+0.8% to 1,207,789).

George D. Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, issued the following statement regarding Hawaiʻi’s visitor statistics in November 2017.

“Strong travel demand from North America, Asia and Oceania translated into an excellent month for the state’s tourism industry in November. Air seat capacity rose 5%, the largest monthly increase thus far in 2017, and visitor arrivals grew 7.3%, which, except for April at 7.5%, was also the highest rate of growth for the year.

“Visitor spending of $1.29 billion in November pushed the state’s total through 11 months to $15.15 billion, which exceeds every full-year total up to 2016. State tax revenue generated by the tourism industry has risen to $1.77 billion, which is $109.5 million more than a year ago at this time.

“With December being historically a peak month for travel to Hawaiʻi, the state’s tourism industry is poised to surpass all annual records for visitor spending, generated state tax revenue and visitor arrivals when the year-end statistics for 2017 are issued the end of January.

“We are in the closing days of what has been an extraordinary year for Hawaiʻi’s tourism industry and continued success is promising as we begin a new year. Within the last two weeks, four carriers – Virgin America, Scoot, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines – have either launched new routes or significantly expanded existing service to Hawaiʻi. In the next few months, Hawaiian Airlines will be launching daily service on four routes between the mainland and neighbor islands.

“Mahalo to all of tourism’s stakeholders for contributing to the success of Hawaiʻi’s leading industry. From Governor Ige and our elected officials at the State Capitol to the tourism professionals on the front lines who share their aloha daily with our visitors, everyone has a valuable role in helping tourism to prosper for the benefit of residents and families statewide.”