Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

For Immediate Release: February 29, 2024

HONOLULU—In January 2024, total visitor arrivals to the Hawaiian Islands (763,480 visitors, -3.6%) and total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars ($1.81 billion, -4.5%) declined compared to January 2023, according to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). Since the August 2023 Maui wildfires, total visitor arrivals were down in five out of the last six months while total visitor spending recorded six consecutive months of decreases from 2023. When compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, January 2024 total visitor arrivals represent a 93.4 percent recovery from January 2019 and total visitor spending was higher than January 2019 ($1.62 billion, +11.9%).

In January 2024, 745,644 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 17,836 visitors came via out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 775,132 visitors (-3.8%) arrived by air and 16,648 visitors (+7.1%) came by cruise ships in January 2023, and 805,567 visitors (-7.4%) arrived by air and 12,033 visitors (+48.2%) came by cruise ships in January 2019. The average length of stay by all visitors in January 2024 was 9.85 days, compared to 10.16 days (-3.0%) in January 2023 and 9.94 days (-0.9%) in January 2019. The statewide average daily census¹ was 242,700 visitors in January 2024, compared to 259,514 visitors (-6.5%) in January 2023 and 262,235 visitors (-7.4%) in January 2019.

In January 2024, 356,174 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, down from January 2023 (383,351 visitors, -7.1%), but an increase compared to January 2019 (317,655 visitors, +12.1%). U.S. West visitor spending of $768.2 million, decreased from January 2023 ($804.4 million, -4.5%), but much higher than January 2019 ($556.7 million, +38.0%). Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in January 2024 ($231 per person) was higher than January 2023 ($222 per person, +4.3%) and considerably more than in January 2019 ($180 per person, +28.5%).

In January 2024, arrivals from the U.S. East of 192,490 visitors declined compared to January 2023 (213,286 visitors, -9.8%), but increased from January 2019 (185,253 visitors, +3.9%). U.S. East visitor spending of $579.0 million decreased from January 2023 ($618.9 million, -6.4%) but was much higher than in January 2019 ($462.9 million, +25.1%). Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in January 2024 ($261 per person) was up from January 2023 ($255 per person, +2.4%) and considerably more than in January 2019 ($216 per person, +20.7%).

There were 52,911 visitors from Japan in January 2024, which was up significantly compared to January 2023 (32,305 visitors, +63.8%), but still much lower than January 2019 (120,418 visitors, -56.1%). Visitors from Japan spent $78.8 million in January 2024, compared to $58.1 million (+35.6%) in January 2023 and $173.4 million (-54.5%) in January 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in January 2024 ($240 per person) was more than in January 2023 ($237 per person, +1.1%) and was similar to January 2019 ($240 per person, 0.0%).

In January 2024, 54,002 visitors arrived from Canada, which was less than January 2023 (56,501 visitors, -4.4%) and January 2019 (69,687 visitors, -22.5%). Visitors from Canada spent $155.3 million in January 2024, compared to $154.4 million (+0.5%) in January 2023 and $165.4 million (-6.2%) in January 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in January 2024 ($224 per person) was more than in January 2023 ($206 per person, +9.0%) and in January 2019 ($167 per person, +34.4%).

There were 90,068 visitors from all other international markets in January 2024, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands. In comparison, there were 89,689 visitors (+0.4%) from all other international markets in January 2023 and 112,554 visitors (-20.0%) in January 2019.

In January 2024, a total of 4,884 transpacific flights with 1,100,758 seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands, down from 5,211 flights (-6.3%) with 1,156,026 seats (-4.8%) in January 2024 and 5,158 flights (-5.3%) with 1,134,182 seats (-2.9%) in January 2019.

Other Highlights

U.S. West: In January 2024, 270,417 visitors arrived from the Pacific region, down 7.6 percent from January 2023. There were fewer visitors from California (179,575, -5.7%), Washington (52,464, -8.8%), Oregon (24,339, -12.6%) and Alaska (14,038, -16.3%). Arrivals from the Mountain region (85,550 visitors, -5.3%) also declined compared to January 2023.

Most U.S. West visitors in January 2024 had been to Hawaii before (84.3%) while 15.7 percent were first-time visitors. In terms of accommodations, 50.0 percent of U.S. West visitors in January 2024 stayed in hotels, 16.8 percent stayed in condominiums, 13.8 percent stayed with friends and relatives, 12.3 percent stayed in rental homes and 9.2 percent stayed in timeshares.

U.S. East: In January 2024, there were fewer visitors from the East North Central (42,881, -12.1%), South Atlantic (40,234, -7.3%), West North Central (35,824, -6.0%), West South Central (30,012, -8.1%), Mid Atlantic (23,705, -12.0%), New England (10,972, -17.4%) and East South Central (8,723, -10.8%) regions compared to January 2023.

Two out of three U.S. East visitors in January 2024 had been to Hawaii before (66.8%) while 33.2 percent were first-time visitors. In terms of lodging, 56.4 percent of U.S. East visitors in January 2024 stayed in hotels, 14.0 percent stayed in condominiums, 13.1 percent stayed with friends and relatives, 11.6 percent stayed in rental homes and 9.4 percent stayed in timeshares.

Japan: Of the 52,911 visitors in January 2024, 52,189 arrived on international flights and 722 came on domestic flights. Three out of four Japanese visitors in January 2024 were repeat visitors (75.8%) while 24.2 percent were first-time visitors to the islands. In terms of lodging, 78.1 percent of Japanese visitors in January 2024 stayed in hotels, 15.1 percent stayed in condominiums, 8.2 percent stayed in timeshares and 2.4 percent stayed with friends and relatives.

Canada: Of the 54,002 visitors in January 2024, 46,741 visitors arrived via direct air service from Canada and 7,261 visitors came on domestic flights. Seven out of 10 Canadian visitors in January 2024 had been to Hawaii before (69.6%) while 30.4 percent were first-time visitors. In terms of lodging, 51.9 percent of Canadian visitors in January 2024 stayed in hotels, 23.8 percent stayed in condominiums, 10.9 percent stayed in timeshares, 10.2 percent stayed in rental homes and 6.7 percent stayed with friends and relatives.

Island Highlights

Oahu: There were 450,503 visitors to Oahu in January 2024, compared to 435,833 visitors (+3.4%) in January 2023 and 488,441 visitors (-7.8%) in January 2019. Visitor spending was $734.0 million in January 2024, compared to $751.2 million (-2.3%) in January 2023 and $700.2 million (+4.8%) in January 2019. The average daily census on Oahu was 112,697 visitors in January 2024, compared to 112,552 visitors (+0.1%) in January 2023 and 116,417 visitors (-3.2%) in January 2019.

Maui: There were 175,005 visitors to Maui in January 2024, compared to 228,743 visitors (-23.5%) in January 2023 and 233,422 visitors (-25.0%) in January 2019. Visitor spending was $503.8 million in January 2024, lower than in January 2023 ($625.2 million, -19.4%), but higher than in January 2019 ($474.2 million, +6.2%). The average daily census on Maui was 53,377 visitors in January 2024, compared to 67,892 visitors (-21.4%) in January 2023 and 69,854 visitors (-23.6%) in January 2019.

Kauai: There were 106,048 visitors to Kauai in January 2024, compared to 106,980 visitors (-0.9%) in January 2023 and 106,142 visitors (-0.1%) in January 2019. Visitor spending was $247.3 million in January 2024, compared to $234.6 million in January 2023 (+5.4%) and $176.5 million (+40.1%) in January 2019. The average daily census on Kauai was 28,915 visitors in January 2024, compared to 29,372 visitors (-1.6%) in January 2023 and 29,784 visitors (-2.9%) in January 2019.

Hawaii Island: There were 143,033 visitors to Hawaii Island in January 2024, compared to 148,376 visitors (-3.6%) in January 2023 and 147,402 visitors (-3.0%) in January 2019. Visitor spending was $299.4 million in January 2024, compared to $260.1 million (+15.1%) in January 2023 and $253.3 million (+18.2%) in January 2019. The average daily census on Hawaii Island was 43,371 visitors in January 2024, compared to 45,404 visitors (-4.5%) in January 2023 and 42,548 visitors (+1.9%) in January 2019.

Flights and Air Seats to Hawaii

U.S. West: In January 2024, 3,431 scheduled flights with 721,480 seats serviced Hawaii from U.S. West.

There were fewer scheduled flights (3,804 flights, -9.8%) and seats (792,662 seats, -9.0%) to the state compared to January 2023. Seat capacity to Kahului (-207 flights, -38,771 seats), Honolulu (-45 flights, -15,568 seats), Kona (-72 flights, -9,203 seats) and L?hue (-42 flights, -6,478 seats) were all reduced compared to a year ago.

Statewide, there were more scheduled seats from Denver (42,828, +17.6%), Phoenix (54,946, +3.0%), Sacramento (19,785, +1.8%), and service from Everett (+4,450 seats) in January 2024, which was not operating in January 2023. These increases were entirely offset by reduced service from Anchorage (9,028, -35.8%), Las Vegas (51,000, -2.3%), Long Beach (11,284, -31.1%), Los Angeles (178,334, -12.6%), Oakland (48,788, -0.5%), Ontario (5,670, -3.2%), Portland (27,226, -22.0%), Salt Lake City (13,922, -9.8%), San Diego (33,131, -13.6%), San Francisco (92,160, -2.3%), San Jose (35,310, -31.2%), and no service from Santa Ana (-504 seats) compared to January 2023.

Scheduled air capacity (3,331 flights, +3.0% with 668,288 seats, +8.0%) increased compared to January 2019. There was decreased service from Anchorage (9,028, -10.9%), Los Angeles (178,334, -12.1%), Portland (27,226, -34.2%), San Francisco (92,160, -14.1%) and no service from Bellingham (-3,657 seats). Offsetting these reductions was additional service from Denver (42,828, +55.7%), Las Vegas (51,000, +124.6%), Long Beach (11,284, +92.6%), Oakland (48,788, +57.1%), Phoenix (54,946, +38.6%), Sacramento (19,785, +24.5%), Salt Lake City (13,922, +4.4%), San Diego (33,131, +9.6%), San Jose (35,310, +37.1%) and Seattle (93,618, +3.0%). There were also scheduled seats from Everett (4,450 seats) and Ontario (+5,670 seats) in January 2024, which were not in service in January 2019.

U.S. East: In January 2024, 418 scheduled flights with 110,683 seats serviced Hawaii from U.S. East.

There were fewer scheduled flights (487 flights, -14.2%) and seats (137,262 seats, -19.4%) from U.S. East to the state compared to January 2023. Direct air service to Kahului (-65 flights, -19,042 seats) and Honolulu (-4 flights, -7,237 seats) were reduced from a year ago.

Statewide, there were additional seats from New York JFK (15,996, +4.6%) which were entirely offset by reduced seats from Atlanta (8,460, -55.4%), Austin (2,780, -28.6%), Boston (4,448, -11.1%), Chicago (16,419, -1.8%), Dallas (22,986, -32.9%), Detroit (8,742, -16.8%), Minneapolis (6,696, -4.4%), Newark (7,328, -14.3%) and Washington D.C. (5,544, -3.8%).

Scheduled air capacity (324 flights, +29.0% with 95,344 seats, +16.1%) increased compared to January 2019. There were reduced seats from Atlanta (8,460, -12.5%), Chicago (16,419, -16.6%), Dallas (22,986, -22.0%), Minneapolis (6,696, -0.6%) and Newark (7,328, -1.5%). Offsetting these decreases were additional seats from New York JFK (15,996, +75.6%), Washington D.C. (5,544, +187.9%), as well as service from Austin (+2,780 seats), Boston (+4,448 seats) and Detroit (+8,742 seats) which did not operate in January 2019.

Japan: In January 2024, there were 413 scheduled flights with 120,574 seats from Japan.

Scheduled air capacity (283 flights, +45.9% with 75,399 seats, +59.9%) from Japan to the state was much greater compared to January 2023. There were additional seats from Nagoya (4,302, +142.0%), Osaka (13,876, +39.3%), Haneda (45,080, +45.9%) and Narita (51,715, +61.8%) to Honolulu, and seats from Fukuoka (+3,892 seats) to Honolulu, which were not in service in January 2023. There were seven scheduled flights with 1,709 seats from Haneda and Narita to Kona in January 2024 compared to four flights with 796 seats from Narita to Kona in January 2023.

Direct air service remained below January 2019 levels (696 flights, -40.7% with 174,100 seats, -30.7%). There were additional seats from Haneda (45,080, +112.2%) to Honolulu. This increase was offset by reduced seats from Fukuoka (3,892, -28.2%), Nagoya (4,302, -66.4%), Osaka (13,876, -69.9%) and Narita (51,715, -31.1%) to Honolulu, and no service from Sapporo (-3,614 seats) to Honolulu compared to January 2019. There were only seven flights with 1,709 seats from Haneda and Narita to Kona in January 2024, compared to 44 flights (-84.1%) with 9,783 seats (-82.5%) from Haneda and Narita to Kona in January 2019.

Canada: There were 314 scheduled flights with 58,343 seats from Canada in January 2024.

Scheduled air capacity (358 flights, -12.3% with 66,556 seats, -12.3%) from Canada to the state declined compared to January 2023. There was reduced service to Kahului (-36 flights, -6,507 seats), L?hue (-10 flights, -1,740 seats) and Kona (-6 flights, -1,044 seats) which offset increased service to Honolulu (+8 flights, +1,078 seats).

There were fewer scheduled flights (403 flights, -22.1%) and seats (72,049 seats, -19.0%) from Canada to the state compared to January 2019.

Oceania:

• Australia: In January 2024, there were 75 scheduled flights with 22,636 seats from Melbourne and Sydney compared to 77 flights (-2.6%) with 23,173 seats (-2.3%) in January 2023. Air capacity remained below the January 2019 level (103 flights, -27.2% with 32,521 seats, -30.4%) with service from Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
• New Zealand: There were 25 scheduled flights with 7,211 seats from Auckland in January 2024, compared to 28 flights (-10.7%) with 8,168 seats (-11.7%) in January 2023 and 41 flights (-39.0%) with 12,112 seats (-40.5%) in January 2019.

Other Asia:

• China: There have been no direct flights from China to Hawaii since service ended in early February 2020. In comparison, there were 40 scheduled flights with 10,935 seats with service from Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai in January 2019.
• Korea: There were 91 scheduled flights with 29,112 seats from Seoul in January 2024, compared to 84 flights (+8.3%) with 26,879 seats (+8.3%) in January 2023 and 102 flights (-10.8%) with 33,610 seats (-13.4%) in January 2019.
• Taiwan: Direct air service from Taipei has been suspended since April 2020. There were nine scheduled flights with 2,754 seats in January 2019.

Other Markets:

• Guam: There were 31 scheduled flights with 10,850 seats from Guam in January 2024 and in January 2023, compared to 31 flights (0.0%) with 11,284 seats (-3.8%) in January 2019.
• Philippines: There were 21 scheduled flights with 6,489 seats from Manila in January 2024 and in January 2023, compared to 22 flights (-4.5%) with 5,896 seats (+10.1%) in January 2019.
• Samoa: There were four scheduled flights with 680 seats in January 2024. There was no direct service from Apia in January 2023. In January 2019, there were four flights (0.0%) with 668 seats (+1.8%).
• Rarotonga: There were four scheduled flights with 756 seats in January 2024. There was no direct air service from Cook Islands in January 2023 or in January 2019.
• Kiribati: There was no direct air service from Christmas Island in January 2024 or January 2023. There were five flights with 610 seats in January 2019.
• Marshall Islands: There was one scheduled flight with 166 seats in January 2024. There was no direct service to Majuro in January 2023, compared to 17 flights (-94.1%) with 2,822 seats (-94.1%) in January 2019.
• Fiji: There were nine scheduled flights with 1,530 seats from Nadi in January 2024, compared to five flights (+80.0%) with 850 seats (+80.0%) in January 2023 and four flights (+125.0%) with 668 seats (+129.0%) in January 2019.
• American Samoa: There were 10 scheduled flights with 2,780 seats from Pago Pago in January 2024, compared to 11 flights (-9.1%) with 3,058 seats (-9.1%) in January 2023 and in January 2019.
• French Polynesia: There were four scheduled flights with 1,112 seats from Papeete in January 2024 and in January 2023, compared to six flights (-33.3%) with 1,668 seats (-33.3%) in January 2019.

Cruise Ship Visitors

In January 2024, 17,836 visitors arrived to the Hawaiian Islands via 14 tours from out-of-state cruise ships. Another 9,201 visitors flew to the state to board the Hawaii home-ported cruise ship Pride of America.

In January 2023, 16,648 visitors (+7.1%) came via eight tours (+75.0%) from out-of-state cruise ships. Another 8,962 visitors (+2.7%) flew to the state to board the Pride of America.

In January 2019, 12,033 visitors (+48.2%) arrived via seven tours from out-of-state cruise ships. Another 9,358 visitors (-1.7%) came by air to board the Pride of America.

Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka:

There were incidents in January 2024 which affected our tourism recovery. The tragic accident at Haneda Airport in Japan and the grounding of Boeing 737-9 Max airplanes resulted in flight cancellations and reduced visitor arrivals. Cruise numbers continued to be strong in January 2024 with a 7.1 percent increase in cruise visitors. The cruise market has fully recovered since last year as compared with the numbers in 2019.

Locally, the Maui wildfires continued to impact visitors to Maui six months after the tragedy. Maui’s visitor counts decreased by 23.5 percent compared to January 2023, although there has been progress from August 2023 when visitor arrivals were down by 57.8 percent. With the active recovery efforts and campaigns, we hope to see continuous improvements over the upcoming months.

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View the January 2024 tables here.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laci Goshi
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
(808) 518-5480

Jennifer Chun
Director of Tourism Research
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
(808) 973-9446

P=Preliminary data.
Source: Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

P=Preliminary data.
Source: Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

P=Preliminary data.
Source: Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

P=Preliminary data.
Source: Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism