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The Hawaii chief economist said the state’s latest unemployment figures paint a picture of an economy recovering steadily but unevenly.
The unemployment rate was 6.6% in September, down from 7% in August.
Eugene Tian says the number of employees now is at its highest level since the pandemic began in early 2020 and the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since then.
Tian said reopening the state to non-essential travel on November 1, along with the return of international visitors on November 8, will accelerate Hawaii’s economic recovery.
“I think visitor recovery is expected to resume in November,” said Tian. “From November, I think visitor numbers could recover by about 100% by the end of the year.”
Tian said while the state is generally recovering, there are some industries and parts of the state that are lagging behind. O’ahu and the Big Island are recovering faster than Kaua’i and Maui, mainly because the latter islands are more dependent on tourism.
Tian also says industries like construction and healthcare are on the verge of a full recovery, while the transportation, retail and hospitality sectors are experiencing a labor shortage that is hampering their comeback.
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