July 30–Visitor arrivals and spending climbed for the fourth month in a row in June further pushing Hawaii tourism’s half-year results further into positive territory, according to preliminary statistics released on Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
“While visitor spending is slightly behind target, arrivals are pacing ahead, and we anticipate finishing the year ahead of 2014’s record-breaking numbers,” said George D. Szigeti, HTA president and CEO.
Total June arrivals rose 6 percent to 767,905 visitors, while nominal spending grew 4.4 percent to nearly $1.34 billion. The gains were fueled by a 9.2 percent increase in air seats, which rose to 1.04 million seats in June. As there was a close correlation between air lift and market success, June’s largest gains came from the North American market, which saw air service increases from the U.S. West, U.S. East and Canada. More visitors also came from Latin America, Europe, China, New Zealand and Australia. However, June visitor arrivals fell from the Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
“With more than 1,053 flights per week to the Hawaiian islands, providing both our visitors and residents with the ability to travel to and from the state, airlift remains key to our industry’s success,” Szigeti said. “We continue to work with our partners to grow and maintain airlift, and through our collaborative efforts, project reaching a record 11.9 million total air seats to Hawaii by the end of the year.”
Among Hawaii’s niche tourism markets, cruise ship arrivals declined by 7.1 percent to 10,538 visitors. However, the total number of visitors who came to attend a corporate meeting, convention or incentive trip in June climbed 59.2 percent to 50,395.
For the first half of the year, visitor arrivals to Hawaii rose four percent to 4.27 million arrivals and spending increased by 3.5 percent to nearly $7.6 billion. Szigeti said the year-to-date results contributed $806.92 million to state tax revenue. For the first six months of the year, arrivals growth was led by the U.S West, with saw its visitor count climb by 8.7 percent and the U.S. East market, which produced 1.8 percent more visitors. These half-year gains balanced a 2.1 percent year-to-date drop in visitors from Japan and a 1.2 percent decline in Canadian visitors.
