Visitor arrivals, spending hit new highs in September
STAR-ADVERTISER
Couples took a morning stroll along the beach in front of the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. Visitor arrivals and spending set new monthly records in September.
Visitor arrivals and spending set new monthly records in September thanks in part to additional traffic created by several meetings, conventions, and incentive events, according to statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).
Statewide visitor arrivals rose 3 percent to 666,605 in September, which marked the 20th straight month of year-over-year growth dating back to February 2015. Arrivals growth was distributed across Hawaii’s four larger islands.
September arrivals from Japan and Canada fell along with air seats from those markets, but were offset by air seat and passenger gains from the U.S. East, U.S. West and all other international markets combined. Only five out-of-state cruise ships visited the islands in September, reducing cruise ship traffic to 8,992 from the 24,165 visitors who came on 13 ships in September 2015.
“A strong September highlighted by new records for the month in visitor arrivals and spending means the first three quarters of 2016 was the best ever for our tourism industry, and keeps Hawaii ahead of pace to set new annual records,” HTA President and CEO George D. Szigeti said in a statement. “This is welcome news for our state, as every business, resident and charitable organization benefits in one way or another by Hawaii having a successful tourism economy.”
Some of September’s gains can be attributed to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s World Conservation Congress, which attracted more than 9,000 delegates, the most the event has ever garnered for any destination. The Convention of Insurance Underwriters (CPUC) brought another 11,000 travelers to Hawaii. The Hawaii Tourism Conference also drew domestic and international attendees. Altogether, meetings, convention and incentive event visitors grew to 49,000, doubling September 2015’s result.
Visitor spending in September also increased just over 10 percent to $1.2 billion in September, the fourth straight month of year-over-year gains. Expenditures grew in all major markets, no doubt helped by an almost 6 percent rise in visitor days, which gave tourists more time to spend money in the islands.
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Through the first nine months of the year, visitor arrivals rose almost 3 percent to nearly 6.7 million visitors. Year-to-date arrivals growth was flat from Japan and decreased from Canada, a market that has experienced 12 consecutive months of visitor declines. However, arrivals rose from the U.S. East, U.S. West and all other international markets combined. Likewise, visitor spending rose nearly 4 percent to $11.6 billion.
“A bonus of our tourism industry’s success is the positive impact it has on Hawaii’s tax revenue base. Through the first three quarters, Hawaii’s tourism industry generated $1.24 billion in state tax revenue, which is an increase of $43.6 million over last year,” Szigeti said.
5 responses to “Visitor arrivals, spending hit new highs in September”
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Thanks..we will need the tax revenue to pay current health and retirement benefits for public workers
Yes! My 5k/month retirement pay is only the half of it hon.
Main reason why tourism is doing is so well is that most American and Canadian tourists are scared shaatzless to travel to the Asia such as the Phillipines (typhoons, Muslim Abu Sayef kidnapping then beheading tourists if they do not get their ransom), Mexico (tourists getting robbed and murdered by bandits or from drug cartel gangs), Europe (Muslim extremist shooting and bombings in Netherlands, France, Belgium,..) Africa (extreme drought, poverty, Boko Haram Islamists and other violent warring factions..), Middle East (Muslim extremists in a war against the US and major battle grounds in countries like Iraq, Syria with Russian and US supplied weapons, bombs,..). Pretty much throughout the world American tourist are in real danger when they travel to many foreign countries. As long as there is extreme world strife, violence and genuine hate for Americans, especially the ongoing war against Americans by Muslims extremists, the tourism business in isolated and protected Hawaii should be pretty good
I think thee has also been a lot of investment in visitor accommodations and amenities, particularly at the upper end of the market. Friend who books incentive trips said Hawaii is being known for its food as much as the environment. Safety is a big deal too. He said lots of groups from t he west coast that had been going to Mexico are now going to Hawaii because Mexico is….Mexico and you never know when some cartel war will break out.
Agree Mexico has become way tioo dangerous for American tourists looking a beach vacation. Was in the news famous Mexican tourist resorts Acapulco has become engulfed in drug cartel and gang murder and violence. Also agree Hawaii has become world renowned for food and why Genki sushi serving tainted scallops and causing a Hep A outbreak is so destructive to Hawaii. However just as destructive is traffic grudlick, overdevelopment and the useless, traffic INCREASING Oahu train to nowhere that actually DECREASES the capacity of Oahu to host so many tourists at any one time.