Hawaii Visitor Spending Increased 1.4 Percent to $1.41 Billion in August 2018

For Immediate Release: September 27, 2018
HTA Release (18-72)

2018-09-27 August 2018 Visitor Stats Press Release.pdf

HONOLULU – Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $1.41 billion in August 2018, an increase of 1.4 percent compared to a year ago, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).

Among Hawaii’s four largest visitor markets, visitor spending in August rose from U.S. West (+0.8% to $494.1 million), U.S. East (+0.8% to $331 million) and Canada (+4.0% to $53.0 million) but declined from Japan (-1.5% to $228.2 million) compared to a year ago. Combined visitor spending from All Other International Markets (+5.3% to $305.8 million) increased year-over-year.

On a statewide level, visitor spending on an average daily basis was down (-2.2% to $193 per person) in August compared to last year. Visitors from Canada (+8.0%), Japan (+0.4%) and from All Other International Markets (+0.7%) spent more per day, while visitors from U.S. East (-6.5%) and U.S. West (-3.6%) spent less.

Total visitor arrivals increased 3.2 percent to 845,072 visitors in August with all arrivals via air travel. No out-of-state cruise ships visited Hawaii during August. Total visitor days[1] rose 3.7 percent. The statewide average daily census[2], or the number of visitors on any given day in August, was 235,963, up 3.7 percent from last year.

Visitor arrivals increased in August from U.S. West (+5.2% to 359,752) and U.S. East (+8.8% to 173,610) but declined from Japan (-0.6% to 159,395) and Canada (-4.7% to 28,163). Arrivals from All Other International Markets was flat (-0.2% to 124,152) compared to last August.

Oahu recorded increases in both visitor spending (+3.5% to $723.4 million) and visitor arrivals (+3.7% to 536,181) in August year-over-year. Kauai reported growth in visitor spending (+7.0% to $157.7 million) and arrivals (+3.0% to 115,242). Maui saw a decline in spending (-2.6% to $355.2 million) despite growth in arrivals (+5.5% to 246,063). The island of Hawaii recorded decreases in visitor spending (-4.4% to $166.1 million) and arrivals (-12.0% to 134,215) compared to last year.

A total of 1,162,380 trans-Pacific air seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands in August, up 6.0 percent from last year, with growth in air seat capacity from U.S. East (+11.5%), Oceania (+9.4%), Other Asia (+7.1%), U.S. West (+6.8%), Canada (+1.9%) and Japan (+1.6%).

Year-to-Date 2018

Year-to-date through August, statewide visitor spending of $12.34 billion (+8.8%) surpassed the results for the same period last year. Visitor spending increased from U.S. West (+8.8% to $4.51 billion), U.S. East (+8.3% to $3.24 billion), Japan (+5.8% to $1.57 billion), Canada (+7.4% to $758.3 million) and from All Other International Markets (+12.5% to $2.23 billion).

Statewide average daily spending by visitors rose to $203 per person (+2.2%) through the first eight months of 2018.

Year-to-date, total visitor arrivals increased (+7.2% to 6,767,275) versus last year, with growth from U.S. West (+10.1% to 2,845,510), U.S. East (+8.1% to 1,527,087), Japan (+0.9% to 1,044,039), Canada (+4.6% to 360,928) and All Other International Markets (+6.8% to 923,056).

All four larger Hawaiian Islands realized growth in both visitor spending and arrivals over the first eight months of 2018.

[1] Aggregate number of days stayed by all visitors.

[2] Average daily census is the average number of visitors present on a single day.