202,000 visitors to Maui in November 2021, 30,000 fewer than before the 2019 pandemic

While tourism on Maui remains strong in November 2021 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor numbers and spending are still below pre-crisis 2019 record levels, according to the latest preliminary visitor statistics from the Department of Commerce for Development and Tourism.

In November 2021, 202,246 visitors to Maui spent $ 352 million, 6.8% less than the $ 378 million the 232,330 tourists spent in November 2019 before the pandemic.

Key stats for Maui:

• The average daily census was 57,562 visitors in November 2021, compared with 61,437 tourists in November 2019.

• There were 2,064,043 visitors in the first eleven months of 2021, a 26% decrease from the first eleven months of 2019.

• Total visitor spend for the first eleven months of 2021 was $ 3.5 billion, a 24% decrease from $ 4.6 billion for the same period in 2019.

Ahead of the global COVID-19 pandemic and Hawaii‘s quarantine requirements for travelers, the state of Hawaii had record visitor spending and arrivals in 2019 and the first two months of 2020.

Nationwide visitor spending was $ 1.18 billion in November 2021, down 11.5% from $ 1.34 billion in November 2019.

In November 2021, 613,391 visitors arrived by plane in the Hawaiian Islands, mostly from the US mainland. This is a 24% decrease from the 809,076 visitors arriving by plane and cruise ship in November 2019.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to enforce restrictions on cruise lines through a Conditional Sail Order, a step-by-step approach to resuming passenger cruises to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading on board.

Nationwide, the average daily census in November 2021 was 190,924 visitors, compared with 223,746 in November 2019.

“We’re excited that the Hawaiian tourism industry continued to improve in November,” said Mike McCartney, director of the Department for Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “Looking ahead with cautious optimism, our tourism industry is tied to how Hawaii and the world are reacting to Omicron. Public health remains fundamental to an improved tourism economy. The more our visitors and residents have the booster, the better chance we all have of achieving economic dynamism and prosperity.

“Our best chance of success is for everyone to get two shots and a booster, keep a mask on, and take personal responsibility to keep everyone safe.”

The tourism trend in Hawaii continued two years earlier in November 2021, with international travel problems, particularly from Japan, and with the number of visitors arriving from the U.S. mainland.

• 409,864 visitors from the western US, 9.2% more than November 2019. They spent an average of $ 209 per day (16.9% more than 2019) and stayed an average of 8.8 days (5% more than 2019).

• 156,004 visitors from the eastern United States, 3.7% more than in November 2019. They spent 324 million US dollars, 5.7% more than in November 2019. A longer stay (9.73 days, +5.6 %) contributed to the increase in expenditure.

• 2,589 visitors from Japan, 98% fewer than the 131,536 in November 2019. This resulted in a drop in sales of 182 million US dollars than two years earlier.

• 22,045 visitors came from Canada, 56% fewer than in November 2019. They spent 53 million US dollars, 46% less than two years earlier.

• 22,889 visitors from all other international markets, a decrease of 73% compared to November 2019.

• 4,816 transpacific flights and 1,003,431 seats served the Hawaiian Islands, compared to 4,883 flights and 1,072,805 seats in November 2019.

In the first 11 months of 2021, 6,023,827 visitors spent $ 11.34 billion. The number of visitors was 36% lower and their spending 29% lower than in the same period in 2019.

In the first 11 months of 2021 there were only 234,389 international visitors, 7.6% of the 3,064,075 in the same period of 2019.

Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO John De Fries said, “The demand for travel to the Hawaiian Islands remains strong, as these November numbers show. While the situation with COVID continues to develop worldwide and more and more people are being vaccinated and promoted, we look forward to welcoming our international visitors again in 2022. The stabilization of the visitor industry continues and its recovery is an important part of the Hawaiian economy that supports thousands of Kama’aina families. “

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