Statewide tourism rises in August

HONOLULU — Tourism saw a surge in August on Kauai, but while more tourists came here, they spent less money.

Kauai welcomed 120,679 visitors in August, a 4.7% increase from August 2018, according to preliminary statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. For the first eight months of 2019, Kauai has greeted 947,748 guests, down slightly, 0.4%, from the same time frame last year.

Visitor spending on Kauai for August totaled $158.4 million, down 0.4% from August 2018. For the first eight months of 2019, Kauai’s guests spent $1.32 billion, down 3.7% from the same time frame last year.

On Kauai, more travelers from Japan (+31.3%), U.S. West (+8.2%) and U.S. East (+5.8%) offset fewer visitors from Canada (-10.8%). The average daily census rose 4.1% to 26,904 visitors in August.

Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $1.5 billion in August, an increase of 6.3% compared to August 2018, HTA reported.

“It should be noted that August 2018’s results were partially impacted by concerns related to Hurricane Lane and the Kilauea eruption,” an HTA press release said.

Tourism dollars from the transient accommodations tax helped to fund numerous community events and initiatives across the state in August, including the Kauai Marathon and Half Marathon, according to HTA.

Total visitor arrivals statewide increased 9.8% to 928,178 visitors in August. All visitor arrivals were via air service as no out-of-state cruise ships visited Hawaii that month. Total visitor days increased 7.6%. The statewide average daily census, or the number of visitors on any given day in August, was 253,855, up 7.6% from the same month last year.

Visitor arrivals by air service increased in August from U.S. West (+17.1% to 421,229), U.S. East (+16.5% to 202,223) and Canada (+2.0% to 28,716), but declined from Japan (-2.3% to 155,779) and all other international markets (-3.2% to 120,230), compared to a year ago.

In August, visitor spending increased from U.S. West (+17.1% to $578.6 million), U.S. East (+15.8% to $383.5 million) and Canada (+8.2% to $57.3 million), but declined from Japan (-1.2% to $225.4 million) and all other international markets (-16% to $256.8 million) compared to a year ago.

On a statewide level, average daily visitor spending declined (-1.2% to $191 per person) in August year-over-year.

Among the four larger islands, Oahu saw increased visitor spending (+1% to $730.5 million) in August, boosted by growth in visitor arrivals (+7.7% to 577,384), which offset lower daily spending (-4.4%).

On Maui, visitor spending grew (+14.0% to $404.8 million), with daily spending (+4.1%) and visitor arrivals also increasing (+11.3% to 273,786).

The island of Hawaii recorded increases in visitor spending (+16.5% to $193.4 million), daily spending (+1.8%) and visitor arrivals (+18.4% to 158,972).