HTA: Maui Visitor Days Decreased 99.3% in April 2020

Crater visitors pre-pandemic. File photo courtesy Haleakalā National Park.

In April, total visitor days decreased 99.3 percent from a year ago, according to preliminary data compiled in a news visitor statistics report prepared and released by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s Tourism Research Division.

On Maui, there were 647 visitors in April 2020 versus 248,042 visitors a year ago. Year-to-date, Maui arrivals dropped 38.4 percent to 603,835 visitors.

Statewide, visitor arrivals to the Hawaiian Islands in April 2020 decreased 99.5 percent compared to a year ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report.

According to the HTA, total air capacity in April dropped 91.4 percent to 95,985 seats, comprised of 90,286 scheduled air seats (-91.8%) and 5,699 charter seats (-57.9%). Service to Hilo was suspended and there were very few air seats serving Honolulu (-88.4% to 79,193), Kahului (-96.7% to 7,996), Kona (-95.4% to 4,781) and Līhu‘e (-95.0% to 4,015) compared to a year ago.

All passengers arriving from out-of-state (since March 26) and traveling interisland (since April 1) are required to abide by a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. The quarantine remains in effect until at least June 30 for incoming passengers from out-of-state.  Exemptions include travel for essential reasons like work or health care.

The state’s four counties enforced strict stay-at-home orders and curfews in April. Nearly all trans-Pacific flights to Hawaiʻi were cancelled. In addition, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention renewed its “No Sail Order” on all cruise ships until late July 2020.

*Below are additional highlights compiled in the HTA report:

Island Highlights:

• O‘ahu: In April, total visitor days dropped 97.5 percent compared to a year ago. There were 3,150 visitors on O‘ahu in April versus 494,125 visitors a year ago. Through the first four months of 2020, visitor arrivals decreased 37.9 percent to 1,226,162 visitors.
• Maui: In April, total visitor days decreased 99.3 percent from a year ago. There were 647 visitors on Maui in April versus 248,042 visitors a year ago. Year-to-date, arrivals dropped 38.4 percent to 603,835 visitors.
• Kaua‘i: In April, visitor days declined 99.2 percent compared to a year ago. There were 308 visitors on Kaua‘i in April compared to 105,792 visitors a year ago. Through the first four months of 2020, visitor arrivals decreased 36.0 percent to 281,989 visitors.
• Hawai‘i Island: In April, visitor days decreased 97.9 percent from a year ago. There were 705 visitors on Hawai‘i island in April compared to 130,364 visitors a year ago. Through the first four months of 2020, arrivals dropped 33.4 percent to 390,843 visitors.

Year-to-Date 2020

In the first four months of 2020, total visitor arrivals dropped 37.3 percent to 2,130,051 visitors, with considerably fewer arrivals by air service (-37.0% to 2,100,259) and by cruise ships (-53.8% to 29,792) versus a year ago. Total visitor days fell 34.5 percent.

Year-to-date, visitor arrivals by air service decreased from U.S. West (-35.8% to 911,899), U.S. East (-30.0% to 515,537), Japan (-40.5% to 294,241), Canada (-41.3% to 155,744) and All Other International Markets (-46.5% to 222,837).

Other Highlights:

• U.S. West: In April, 2,327 visitors arrived from the Pacific region compared to 320,012 a year ago, and 650 visitors came from the Mountain region compared to 63,914 a year ago. Year-to-date, visitor arrivals declined significantly from both the Pacific (-37.8% to 689,079) and Mountain (-28.8% to 202,724) regions compared to the same period a year ago.
• U.S. East: Through the first four months of the year, visitor arrivals dropped considerably from all regions. The three largest regions, East North Central (-32.1% to 109,490), West North Central (-21.3% to 93,899) and South Atlantic (-35.0% to 93,696) saw substantial decreases compared to the same period a year ago.
• Japan: In April, 13 visitors arrived from Japan compared to 119,492 visitors a year ago. Year-to-date, arrivals fell 40.5 percent to 294,241 visitors.
• Canada: In April, nine visitors arrived from Canada compared to 55,690 visitors a year ago. Year-to-date arrivals decreased to 155,744 visitors (-41.3%).