LIHUE — Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $1.4 billion in August, an increase of 1.4 percent compared to a year ago, according to preliminary statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Total visitor arrivals increased 3.2 percent to 845,072 visitors in August, with all arrivals via air travel. No out-of-state cruise ships visited Hawaii during August.
“Although both visitor spending and arrivals increased in August compared to a year ago, we expected better results for this peak travel month,” said George D. Szigeti, HTA president and CEO. “Lane deterred a segment of travelers from staying in the Hawaiian Islands, which was compounded by the continuing negative effect Kilauea volcano had on the island of Hawaii.”
Kauai saw 115,724 visitors in August, a 3 percent increase from August 2017. For the first eight months of the year, Kauai had 951,258 guests, an increase of 9.8 percent from the same time period last year.
Visitors spending on Kauai in August totaled $157.7 million, a 7 percent increase over August 2017. Visitor spending for 2018 through August totaled $1.4 billion, up 10.1 perecent from the first eight months of last year.
Szigeti said the 1.4 percent increase in visitor spending for August was the lowest of any month since May 2016. Additionally, the $1.41 billion in total visitor spending was the lowest of any month so far this year.
“These figures are a reminder as to how vulnerable tourism can be to events beyond our control and why we can never assume the impressive rates of growth Hawaii was achieving the first half of this year will continue unabated for the foreseeable future,” he said.
Despite the challenges of Kilauea volcano and Hurricane Lane, he said the state of Hawaii realized a good summer travel season, as combined visitor spending for the months of June, July and August totaled $4.67 billion, an increase of 5.5 percent over last year, with visitor arrivals reaching nearly 2.7 million, an increase of 5.3 percent.
Through the first eight months of 2018, Hawaii continued to pace well ahead of last year’s record-setting totals, with visitor spending at $12.34 billion, up by 8.8 percent, and visitor arrivals close to 6.8 million, an increase of 7.2 percent. In addition to the monies circulated by visitors throughout all islands, $1.44 billion in state tax revenue has been generated thus far in 2018, an increase of $116.4 million over last year.
Among Hawaii’s four largest visitor markets, visitor spending in August rose from U.S. West (plus 0.8 percent to $494.1 million), U.S. East (plus 0.8 percent to $331 million) and Canada (plus 4.0 percent to $53 million), but declined from Japan (down 1.5 percent to $228.2 million) compared to a year ago. Combined visitor spending from all other international markets (plus 5.3 percent to $305.8 million) increased year-over-year.
Maybe the Blue State can begin lowering the ridiculous State income tax….. The tourist dollars generated are so great; I Would like to hold on to more of my pay check!!!!