Hawaii’s visitor industry realized statewide growth in visitor arrivals and spending despite September softening on the Big Island.

September statewide visitor spending reached $1.28 billion, a more than 6 percent gain from September 2017, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. September visitor arrivals rose almost 4 percent year-over-year to 724,863.

The overall monthly visitor gains were helped by the 10 percent year-over-year rise in trans-Pacific air seats to 1,020,217. On any given day in September, there were 209,432 visitors across the isles, a gain of nearly 6 percent compared to last year.

Hawaii’s core U.S. West market posted visitor gains of 5 percent, the U.S. East, Hawaii’s second-largest visitor market, grew 12 percent, and the category called all other international markets, which includes foreign visitors outside of Japan and Canada, grew nearly 2 percent. But there were arrivals declines from Hawaii’s top international market, Japan, which fell 4 percent, and the mature Canada market, which dropped more than 6 percent.

In September, Oahu and Maui posted spending and arrivals gains. Maui saw an increase in visitor arrivals, but spending was flat.

However, Hawaii island experienced a 14 percent drop in both visitor arrivals and spending. The eruption hiatus at Kilauea is continuing, and Hurricane Lane and Tropical Storm Olivia weren’t as menacing as forecast, but canceled flights and other headwinds from these events hurt the Big Isle.

During the first nine months of this year, visitors across the state spent $13.6 billion, a nearly 10 percent gain from the first three quarters of 2017. Through September visitor arrivals rose nearly 7 percent to nearly 7.5 million.

Despite Hawaii island’s recent tourism troubles, the beginning of the year was so strong that all isles realized growth in visitor spending and visitor arrivals in the first three quarters compared to last year.

Through September, trans-Pacific air seats rose more than 9 percent year-over-year to 10,009,326.