[ad_1]
The state of Hawaii saw record levels of tourist and visitor spending in 2019 and the first two months of 2020, but booming tourism stalled with the arrival of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Eighteen months later, Hawaii tourism has rebounded well in the mainland domestic markets, but the international market continues to struggle, according to preliminary visitor statistics from the state Department of Economic Affairs, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).
A total of 722,393 visitors arrived by plane in the Hawaiian Islands in August 2021, 22% fewer than in August 2019. The visitor losses came mainly from Japan (minus 98.1% compared to August 2019) and Canada (minus 78.5%). compared to August 2019) and other international markets (minus 82.1% compared to August 2019).
Visitors to Hawaii spent $ 1.37 billion in August 2021, 8.9% less than the $ 1.5 billion tourists spent in August 2019. In August 2021, there was $ 269.9 million less revenue from Japanese and Canadian tourists than two years earlier.
“The August 2021 results showed that overall visitor spend and visitor arrivals were steadily improving due to the strength of the domestic travel market,” said John De Fries, President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “However, until the international travel market returns, Hawaii will not reach the pre-pandemic visitor spending level that is essential to the state’s economy. It is also important to remember that tourism recovery is non-linear – that is, it rises and flows and is expected to slow down for the traditionally slower fall off-season. “
Canadian tourism has begun with the resumption of Air Canada flights from Vancouver to Oahu and Maui, recovering from two flights in July to 36 flights in August. The number of visitors from Canada reached 6,154 in August, the highest since the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020.
“We expect tourism to slow down in September and October, but the recovery will accelerate in November,” said DBEDT Director Mike McCartney. “The federal government’s relaxation of international travel restrictions, which will come into force in November, will help bring more international visitors to our country. We expect total visitor arrivals for the year to be 6.8 million (65 percent recovery from 2019) and visitor spend to be $ 12.2 billion (68.5 percent recovery from 2019).
While tourism in Hawaii is traditionally slower in September and October, it could also be impacted by the fact that Hawaii Governor David Ige, Traveler on the 23rd, overloaded the state’s health facilities and resources.
In Maui, visitor spend was $ 329.1 million in August 2021, just 3.9% less than August 2019, despite the total number of visitor days down 6.8 percent (135,367 fewer days).
The slow recovery in international travel is driving the lower state numbers for August 2021.
Japan is responsible for the biggest drop in tourist numbers – 98.1% – from 2019 to 2021. There were 3,005 visitors from Japan in August 2021 compared to 160,728 visitors in August 2019. Visitors from Japan spent $ 9.5 million in August 2021, compared to $ 236.9 million in August 2019.
Tourism from Canada has not recovered either. In August 2021, 6,154 visitors came from Canada, 78.5% fewer than the 28,672 visitors in August 2019. Visitor spending from Canada also fell by around 75%.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continued 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.
Since the beginning of 2021
For the first eight months of 2021, total visitor spend was $ 7.98 billion, a 33.8% decrease from the $ 12.06 billion spent in the first eight months of 2019 became.
A total of 4,353,794 visitors arrived in the first eight months of 2021, an increase of 98.5 percent over the first eight months of 2020. But there was also a 38.6 percent decrease in tourists compared to the 7,092 .809 visitors in the first eight months of 2019.
To view the full version and tables, Click here.
[ad_2]
