July 25–Visitor spending in Hawaii rose for the first time in three months in June as the number of tourists to the state rose 5.5 percent over the year-earlier period.
Spending increased 7 percent as visitors doled out $1.31 billion compared with $1.22 billion a year ago, according to data released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. There were 716,577 arrivals in the month, up from 679,463 a year ago, as all the major markets showed gains except for the U.S. East.
The uptick in spending came after visitors followed a $1.27 billion spending month in March with expenditures of $1.10 billion in April and $1.05 billion in May.
U.S. West arrivals had the best showing with a 10.4 percent gain in arrivals and a 15.3 percent increase in spending. Japan, the state’s top international market, had a 3.1 percent increase in arrivals but spending dropped off 11.2 percent. Canada had a 9.7 percent gain in arrivals and 11.1 percent rise in spending. U.S. East, however, was down 3.4 percent in arrivals and up a scant 0.8 percent in spending.
Arrivals from all other markets rose 10 percent and spending jumped 23.2 percent as scheduled air seats from Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) jumped 63.2 percent and Other Asia, which includes Seoul and Shanghai, increased 28.5 percent.
At midyear, arrivals and spending remain on pace to eclipse the full-year state records of 8 million in arrivals and $14.3 billion in spending. Through six months, arrivals were up 5.6 percent to 4.2 million and spending was ahead 6.9 percent to $7.4 billion.
