Whereas the pandemic pummeled Hawaii in its early phases, the Aloha State’s tourism business is again, and by some metrics, larger than ever. The variety of vacationers from the U.S. mainland is greater than it was earlier than the pandemic — and common spending per journey can be greater.
Extra demand means greater costs — and the rise in demand is simply getting began. Vacationers from Asia, who beforehand comprised a good portion of Hawaii vacationers, haven’t returned to Hawaii in pre-pandemic numbers, due largely to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
However with latest border reopenings in Asia, coupled with some large modifications coming to the Hawaii tourism scene (together with Disney cruises and a clampdown on vacationer accessibility), the long run for Hawaii vacationers will probably be aggressive — and costly. Nonetheless, there are methods to go to that can help you keep away from crowds, reduce over-tourism and get monetary savings.
Tourism in Hawaii is at file highs by some metrics
Greater than 700,000 folks visited Hawaii in September 2022, representing a 95.5% restoration from the identical month in 2019. However whereas general tourism numbers haven’t exceeded pre-pandemic ranges, many different metrics have been blown out of the water, in response to knowledge from the Hawaii Division of Enterprise, Financial Improvement & Tourism.
Listed below are a few of the most important modifications in Hawaii tourism between September 2019 and September 2022:
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General tourism spending in Hawaii is up 18.5%.
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The common journey size is up 5.9%.
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The variety of vacationers visiting from the remainder of the U.S. is up 29%.
Elevated spending could be partly as a consequence of inflation. The common value of airfare elevated about 8% nationwide between September 2019 and September 2022, whereas lodge costs elevated 5%, in response to a NerdWallet evaluation of Client Value Index knowledge. However in that interval, the nationwide enhance in inflation — up 16% — is lower than the 18.5% spending enhance particular to Hawaii.
Stays in Hawaii are longer than they had been pre-pandemic — presumably due to a rise in workcations. The common keep in September 2022 spanned 8.9 days, up 5.9% from the common 8.4-day keep in September 2019.
Individuals are additionally spending extra on day by day actions like accommodations, excursions and meals than they did pre-pandemic. Common spending per particular person, per day in September 2022 was $236, up 17.1% from the identical month in 2019.
Of all of the islands, Oahu has seen the sharpest enhance in common day by day customer spending since pre-pandemic occasions, up 25%. Oahu has additionally seen some vital funding in tourist-minded enhancements — lots of which put a recent emphasis on Hawaii’s tradition and historical past.
The Ford Island Management Tower. (Picture courtesy of the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum)
For instance, the Ford Island Management Tower on the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum opened this summer season after a restoration undertaking that took over a decade. The Polynesian Cultural Middle’s Ali’i Luau had its official relaunch in August 2022. (It initially launched not lengthy earlier than pandemic shutdowns in fall 2019.) Seth Casey, a advertising and marketing supervisor on the Polynesian Cultural Middle, says it’s the one luau in Hawaii that encompasses a traditionally correct Hawaiian cultural presentation.
And vacationers are responding effectively to such additions. Greater than two-thirds of vacationers from the U.S. and Canada participated in actions centered round historical past or tradition within the first quarter of 2022, in response to DBEDT.
Provide may not develop — which may put extra stress on costs
For all of the demand, there may not be a lot of a provide enhance. The vast majority of Hawaii residents say they don’t need extra lodging to be constructed.
Whereas 77% of residents wish to clamp down on unlawful trip leases, 64% don’t need any new trip leases, interval. That’s in response to DBEDT’s Spring 2022 Resident Sentiment Survey, which interviewed almost 2,000 Hawaii residents between Could and July 2022. And it’s not simply trip leases; 66% stated they didn’t wish to enable the constructing of any extra accommodations, condos or timeshares.
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Kamaole Seaside, south shore of Maui. (Getty Photos)
There are additionally caps on actions for Hawaii vacationers. For instance, a pilot undertaking from Park Maui this winter will prohibit parking entry at Maui’s Kamaole Seaside parks on weekends and holidays earlier than 10 a.m., permitting solely Maui County residents to park. Non-residents can park there after 10 a.m. — for a payment. (In the meantime, resident parking is free.)
Such modifications stem partially from rising anti-tourism sentiment. In 2009, 78% of residents stated they not less than considerably agree that tourism brings extra advantages than issues. However that determine has been steadily lowering. In 2022, it’s simply 54%.
However some residents are extra receptive to tourism than others. On Oahu — which noticed the most important enhance in common customer spending of all of the islands versus pre-pandemic — pro-tourism sentiment has lately elevated, reversing a downward development that started earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents on Oahu and the Huge Island had been extra probably than these on Maui or Kauai to say that tourism ought to be actively inspired, in response to DBEDT knowledge.
In the meantime, an rising variety of residents on Maui and Kauai have acknowledged that their island “is run for vacationers on the expense of native folks,” and that the “economic system is just too depending on tourism.” Residents of these islands usually tend to wish to cease constructing accommodations or approving trip leases. They’re additionally extra more likely to name for resident-only days at parks and seashores.
Nonetheless, Hawaii tourism will probably proceed to blow up
Whereas the variety of vacationers in Hawaii is at about 96% of its pre-pandemic ranges, indicators level to 2023 far exceeding that.
For starters, the variety of vacationers from the remainder of the U.S. has already massively elevated, up 29% in September 2022 versus September 2021, in response to DBEDT knowledge. In the meantime, tourism from different international locations continues to be down — most notably from Japan.
In 2019, greater than 1.5 million vacationers got here from Japan, representing about 15% of all vacationers to the state. For now although, Japanese tourism continues to be down 83%.
That determine may shift, as Japan lately reopened its borders to unbiased international vacationers following almost three years of heavy pandemic restrictions. Vacationers can now enter Japan with out making use of for a visa prematurely — and likewise, it’ll be far simpler for folks from Japan to get to Hawaii. Direct flights between the 2 locations solely resumed in August 2022 after a pandemic hiatus, making handy journey to Hawaii from Japan doable once more.
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A cruise ship lingers over Nawiliwili Seaside Park in Kauai. (Getty Photos)
Then there are cruises. Hawaii paused cruise ship arrivals in the course of the first two years of the pandemic. Then, within the first 9 months of 2022, 26 out-of-state cruise ships arrived, bringing 40,658 vacationers, in response to DBEDT. That’s far fewer than the 44 cruise ships carrying 95,149 vacationers that arrived throughout the identical interval in 2019, however cruises are coming again.
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Starting in October 2023, the Disney Surprise will supply the fleet’s first-ever South Pacific itineraries, which both begin or finish in Hawaii. (Picture courtesy of Disney Cruise Line)
Simply this 12 months, Disney Cruise Line introduced its first-ever cruises via the South Pacific, which is able to take guests between Honolulu and Sydney, with stops that embody American Samoa and Fiji.
Ought to vacationers go to Hawaii? Sure, however mindfully
There are many methods to chop down on contributions to Hawaii tourism issues and get monetary savings. Right here’s easy methods to reduce each prices and overtourism when touring to the islands.
Patronize traditionally correct customer experiences: Whereas residents are blended on tourism’s advantages, most agree that educating guests in regards to the islands’ cultural and pure sources is essential. Vacationer actions just like the Polynesian Cultural Middle’s Ali’i Luau try to sort out that.
When the present went into improvement in 2019, Casey says the creators went to painstaking efforts to verify they acquired suggestions from cultural specialists to make sure it was correct.
The luau is a tribute to Hawaii’s final ruling monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. Performers onstage inform her story in her personal phrases and play authentic compositions she wrote.
Ditch rental vehicles for mass transit: Do not be intimidated by the concept of exploring Hawaii with no rental automobile. It may be completed. Oahu is usually the best Hawaiian island to navigate with no automobile, given its public transportation system, TheBus, and the privately owned Waikiki Trolley that stops at most main vacationer sights. On different islands, attempt taking small group excursions fairly than renting a automobile and preventing site visitors by yourself. For experiences like Maui’s well-known winding Street to Hana, paying another person to drive whilst you benefit from the surroundings could be excellent anyway.
Respect pure sources: When you can spend time in nature for little to no value, it is essential to be conscious of the setting. Do not carve your identify in bushes or depart trash behind, and keep on trails at any time when doable.
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The Courtyard Oahu North Shore is among the many accommodations with no resort charges. (Picture courtesy of Marriott)
Hunt down accommodations that don’t cost resort charges: Resort charges are one of the brutal — and more and more frequent — elements of journey present in common locations like Hawaii. These semi-hidden charges purport to cowl the prices of bills such because the health middle or pool, however they’re non-negotiable. Even if you happen to don’t use the facilities, the charges are nonetheless charged.
However some accommodations have opted out of charging them. Courtyard Oahu North Shore, for instance, presents normal facilities like a swimming pool and waterfall, plus cultural actions like ukulele and hula courses with no extra payment.
“We take a look at it from a visitor perspective,” says Dave Betham, the property’s basic supervisor. “We like the concept that there aren’t any surprises.”
Making Hawaii tourism higher for residents and locals
Hawaii tourism is rising — and it appears set to achieve new highs past even pre-pandemic occasions.
For vacationers, Hawaii generally is a prime trip vacation spot. It may be an escape from colder climates and a possibility to discover a distinct tradition via new meals, actions and historic websites.
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Zipline riders on Oahu. (Picture courtesy of Climbworks Keana Farms)
Lots of these inside Hawaii’s tourism business say they wish to supply actions that also respect the land. That features people like Betham, talked about above, in addition to Aaron Campbell, who owns Climbworks Keana Farms, a zipline firm on Oahu’s North Shore.
“We wish guests to come back, however we wish them to come back responsibly,” Campbell says.
Throughout the 10-minute trip to the mountain prime, vacationers are taught about Hawaii’s historical past, tradition and farming. Instructional reveals are sprinkled alongside the zipline tour itself.
“As we now take a look at this push for tourism that we’ve gone via, we’re reexamining the worth of tourism,” Betham says. “How can we make that have higher for the friends, higher for us, higher for the Hawaiian folks?”
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