Hawai'i arrivals near pre-pandemic levels, Canadian visitation up

Hawai'i tourism is just a few points away from reaching a full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to preliminary statistics from the destination’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, total visitor arrivals in September 2024 represented a 96.1 per cent recovery from pre-pandemic September 2019.

It represents the best recovery rate yet since the devastating Maui wildfires of August 2023 (not including February 2024, which had a leap day).

Total nominal visitor spending also increased 16.3 percent compared to September 2019, the department says.

Hawai’i is seeing continual improvement. There were 707,486 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in September 2024, up 7.8 per cent from the same month last year, and the total visitor spending (measured in nominal dollars) was $1.45 billion, growth of 4.6 percent from September 2023.

Visitor breakdown

In September, 688,831 visitors landed in Hawai’i by air, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 18,655 visitors arrived via out-of-state cruise ships, the department says.

In comparison, 648,145 visitors (+6.3%) arrived by air and 8,143 visitors (+129.1%) came by cruise ships in September 2023, and 718,042 visitors (-4.1%) came by air and 18,114 visitors (+3.0%) came by cruise ships in September 2019.

The average length of stay by all visitors in September 2024 was 8.23 days, which was shorter than September 2023 and September 2019.

The statewide average daily census was 194,156 visitors in September 2024, compared to 188,319 visitors in September 2023 and 206,169 visitors in September 2019.

The Canadian angle

In September, 19,188 visitors arrived in Hawai’i from Canada, making an increase from September 2023, which saw 18,647 visitors, but still a decline compared to September 2019 when there were 21,928 visitors.

Visitors from Canada spent $43.6 million in September 2024, compared to $48.1 million in September 2023 and $40.5 million in September 2019.

Daily spending in Hawai’ii by Canadian visitors in September 2024 ($236 per person) was similar to September 2023 ($236 per person) and was considerably more than September 2019 ($159 per person, +48.8%).

Air capacity

Air capacity to the Hawaiian Islands in September 2024 (4,476 transpacific flights with 990,746 seats) increased compared to September 2023 (4,376 flights, 963,916 seats), but declined from September 2019 (4,533 flights, with 1,012,883 seats), the department reports.

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