Solid gains in Hawaii visitor arrivals and spending in October sustained increases during the first 10 months of 2017, according to tourism statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

October arrivals to Hawaii increased nearly 3 percent year over year to 736,974 visitors, while their spending rose just over 4 percent to $1.3 billion, the HTA reported this morning.

October’s results continued to fuel year-to-date gains. During the first 10 months of 2017, visitor arrivals grew nearly 5 percent to nearly 7.8 million visitors. Through October, visitor spending climbed nearly 7 percent to almost $13.9 billion. Through October, the tourism industry generated $1.62 billion in state tax revenue or some $103 million more than was earned during the same period last year.

“October got the fourth quarter off to a good start for Hawaii’s tourism industry,” HTA President and CEO George Szigeti said in a statement.“Tourism’s growth statewide in 2017 continues to stay well ahead of last year’s pace.”

Szigeti said the year-to-date tourism figures already have exceeded the full-year visitor industry totals of every year before 2012.