According to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), Hawaii saw a 5.3% increase in visitors in November 2024 compared to the previous year. A total of 770,940 visitors were recorded, contributing $1.55 billion in spending, marking a 2% rise from November 2023. This growth marks the fourth consecutive month of increased visitor numbers and spending.
Visitor arrivals for November 2024 reached a recovery rate of 95.3% compared to pre-pandemic levels in November 2019. The majority arrived by air, with U.S. West and East regions being significant contributors.
The average stay for all visitors was slightly shorter than last year but longer than in 2019. The daily census showed an increase from the previous year but remained below pre-pandemic figures.
Increases were noted from the U.S., with notable spending growth despite reduced daily expenditure per person compared to last year. However, there was a decline in visitors from Japan and Canada compared to both last year and pre-pandemic numbers.
Air capacity also saw slight increases over last year but did not reach pre-pandemic levels.
James Kunane Tokioka, DBEDT Director, stated: “We are pleased to see the continued recovery in our tourism industry in November 2024.” He noted that U.S. visitors comprised a larger share of arrivals than before the pandemic and anticipated gradual recovery for Japanese tourism as economic conditions improve.
