NEWS RELEASE: VISITOR ARRIVALS AND VISITOR SPENDING DECREASED IN APRIL 2024

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA
DIRECTOR

EUGENE TIAN
CHIEF STATE ECONOMIST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2024

VISITOR ARRIVALS AND VISITOR SPENDING DECREASED IN APRIL 2024

HONOLULU – According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), total visitor arrivals and total visitor spending in April 2024 decreased compared to April 2023. There were 753,551 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in April 2024, down 8.9 percent from the same month last year. Total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $1.51 billion, which was a 12.6 percent drop from April 2023. When compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, April 2024 total visitor arrivals represent an 88.7 percent recovery from April 2019 and total visitor spending was higher than April 2019 ($1.32 billion, +14.3%).

In April 2024, 721,855 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 31,695 visitors came via out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 806,209 visitors (-10.5%) arrived by air and 21,328 visitors (+48.6%) came by cruise ships in April 2023, and 824,610 visitors (-12.5%) arrived by air and 24,787 visitors (+27.9%) came by cruise ships in April 2019. The average length of stay by all visitors in April 2024 was 8.27 days, compared to 8.58 days (-3.6%) in April 2023 and 8.25 days (+0.3%) in April 2019. The statewide average daily census was 207,827 visitors in April 2024, compared to 236,661 visitors (-12.2%) in April 2023 and 233,616 visitors (-11.0%) in April 2019.

In April 2024, 390,111 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, a decrease from April 2023 (465,116 visitors, -16.1%), but up slightly from April 2019 (388,573 visitors, +0.4%). U.S. West visitor spending of $746.1 million declined from April 2023 ($874.4 million, -14.7%), but was much higher than April 2019 ($547.0 million, +36.4%). Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in April 2024 ($236 per person) increased compared to April 2023 ($233 per person, +1.3%) and was considerably more than April 2019 ($171 per person, +37.7%).

In April 2024, arrivals from the U.S. East of 171,931 visitors declined compared to April 2023 (186,695 visitors, -7.9%), but increased from April 2019 (159,115 visitors, +8.1%). U.S. East visitor spending of $425.9 million decreased from April 2023 ($473.2 million, -10.0%), but was much higher than April 2019 ($286.8 million, +48.5%). Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in April 2024 ($273 per person) was slightly less than April 2023 ($278 per person, -1.8%), but was significantly more than April 2019 ($200 per person, +36.5%).

There were 49,024 visitors from Japan in April 2024, which was up considerably from April 2023 (34,358 visitors, +42.7%), but continued to be much lower than April 2019 (119,487 visitors,
-59.0%). Visitors from Japan spent $72.7 million in April 2024, compared to $57.3 million (+26.8%) in April 2023 and $164.0 million (-55.7%) in April 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in April 2024 ($238 per person) was higher than April 2023 ($235 per person, +1.0%) and April 2019 ($234 per person, +1.7%).

In April 2024, 37,950 visitors arrived from Canada, a decrease compared to April 2023 (39,333 visitors, -3.5%) and April 2019 (56,749 visitors, -33.1%). Visitors from Canada spent $86.1 million in April 2024, down from April 2023 ($96.3 million, -10.7%) and April 2019 ($100.2 million, -14.1%). Daily spending by Canadian visitors in April 2024 ($221 per person) increased from April 2023 ($217 per person, +1.8%) and was much higher than April 2019 ($154 per person, +43.5%).

There were 72,839 visitors from all other international markets in April 2024, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands. In comparison, there were 80,708 visitors (-9.7%) from all other international markets in April 2023 and 100,686 visitors (-27.7%) in April 2019.

In April 2024, a total of 4,890 transpacific flights with 1,080,344 seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands, a decrease from 5,021 flights (-2.6%) with 1,085,788 seats (-0.5%) in April 2023, and 5,031 flights (-2.8%) with 1,112,200 seats (-2.9%) in April 2019.

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Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka:

Overall travel to the Hawaiian Islands was soft for April with total visitors by air decreasing 10.5 percent from April 2023. This is the first month that arrivals to O‘ahu decreased since March 2021. The decrease was partially due to Easter falling on March 31, which pushed spring break travel into March instead of April. Easter 2023 was on April 9, which affected the year-over-year performance. In reviewing a forecast provided by Jerry Gibson of the Hawai‘i Hotel Alliance, spring bookings are not picking up as indicated by previous estimates.

The cruise market performed well in April with visitors who came via out-of-state cruise ships registering the second highest monthly arrival on record. This market typically has less impact on the destination than visitors who travel by air as cruise travelers often participate in group tour activities versus exploring the islands individually and renting cars.

With the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s Mākaukau Maui campaign and targeted efforts showcasing Maui’s readiness to welcome visitors, DBEDT is committed to supporting the state and Maui’s economic recovery.

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Media Contacts: 

Laci Goshi
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
808-518-5480
[email protected]

Jennifer Chun
Director of Tourism Research
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
808-973-9446
[email protected]