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Increases in arrivals, spending boost tourism industry to best summer ever

Allison Schaefers
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STAR-ADVERTISER / JUNE 2015

Beachgoers rode a variety of water appartuses at the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon in Waikiki in June 2015. Hawaii tourism experienced its best summer ever thanks to its best August ever and to July, which was the best month ever.

Hawaii tourism experienced its best summer ever thanks to its best August ever and to July, which was the best month ever.

Visitors arrivals to Hawaii in August rose 3.1 percent to 780,723 visitors, according to monthly statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA). It was the 19th consecutive month of year-over-year growth in arrivals, which have been posting gains since February 2015.

August air arrivals from Hawaii’s core U.S. West market rose 4.8 percent to 329,951, arrivals from the U.S. East were up 2.8 percent to 149,705 and the category called “all other international markets,” which is basically all of the international markets outside of Japan and Canada, rose 2.5 percent to 118,864. Arrivals by air from Japan fell 0.4 percent to 152,438 and arrivals from Canada fell 0.4 percent to 27,881. In August, one out-of-state cruise ship came to Hawaii bringing 1,883 visitors. No cruise ships came to Hawaii in August 2015.

Although monthly visitor spending has fluctuated more than arrivals, August marked the third straight month of visitor spending increases, with a 5.2 percent rise to $1.3 billion. Visitor spending from the U.S. West grew 7.1 percent to $482.8 million, it rose 6.6 percent from the U.S. East to $294 million. Visitor spending from Japan grew 2 percent to $211.5 million and rose 3.9 percent to $274.9 million from the all other international markets category, while spending by visitors from Canada remained flat at $48 million. In August, daily visitor spending rose 2.9 percent to $192 million.

“Capped by these record results for August, Hawaii’s tourism industry realized its best summer ever. From June through August, Hawaii welcomed 2.4 million visitors who generated $4.16 billion in spending for businesses and communities statewide, and produced $442.7 million in state tax revenue,” said George D. Szigeti, HTA president and CEO, in a press release.

Year-to-date through August, visitor arrivals rose 2.6 percent to 6.03 million and spending increased 3 percent to $10.4 billion.

“The credit for Hawaii’s success is shared by all of tourism’s stakeholders and industry partners, starting at the top with Governor Ige and our state lawmakers, to the businesses and employees who interact with our guests and make a summer vacation in Hawaii such an enjoyable experience,” Szigeti said.

One response to “Increases in arrivals, spending boost tourism industry to best summer ever”

  1. iwanaknow says:

    …and how much of that money stayed in Hawaii vs left the Islands?

    I enjoyed the Summer, hope you did too.

    After the Elections, come Jan 2017, let’s see how much the economy dips?…..hold on to your hat!

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