Hawaii's visitor count, expenditures declined in June

(The Center Square) - Fewer people visited Hawaii in June of 2024 than in the previous year, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

"Overall travel to the Hawaiian Islands was soft for June with total visitors by air decreasing slightly by 1.5 percent from June 2023," said DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka. "Domestic visitors arriving by air decreased by 3 percent, while international visitors arriving by air increased by 8.2 percent compared to the same month a year ago."

Visitor spending was also down, with tourists spending $1.91 billion, 4.4% less than in June 2023.

Maui experienced the most significant decline in visitors, falling 21.8% from year to year. The island is still recovering from the fires that swept through the Lahaina area in August last year. The only other island to see a decrease is Hawaii Island, which dropped 1.1%.

Hawaii had fewer visitors from the U.S. West, with a 1.7% decrease. The drop was more significant from the U.S. West. DBEDT statistics show 232,186 visited in June 2024, down 6.5% from 2023.

The Aloha State did see a significant increase in visitors from Japan, with 59,874 visitors, 28.1% more than in June 2023. However, the numbers are 52.7% lower than before the pandemic, when 126,592 visitors arrived from Japan.

More tourists from other markets also visited Hawaii than in the previous year.

"During Hawaii’s hosting of the 13th annual Festival of the Pacific Arts and Culture, Governor Green and the state of Hawaii showcased their hosting capabilities and welcomed visitors from around the Pacific," Tokioka said. "The Other Major Market Area, which includes most of the visitors from Pacific nations, increased by 3.9 percent for June when compared to last year."

Visitor count and spending for the first half of 2024 are also lower than in 2023, according to DBEDT. Just over 4.78 million people have visited the islands in 2024, down 3.7% from 2023.

Visitor spending is down 4.8% from $10.78 billion in the first six months of 2023 to $10.26 billion in the first six months of 2024. However, the numbers are 15.9% better than the first half of 2019, according to DBEDT. The numbers are adjusted for inflation.