The Hawaiian Islands enjoyed moderate increases in both visitor spending and arrivals this April, maintaining the destination’s four-month streak of year-over-year growth in 2013.
Total spending by visitors across Hawaii increased 1.8% in April, to just over $1.1 billion, according to preliminary estimates released May 30 by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).
Arrivals climbed 3.1% year over year, to just under 667,000 visitors.
Mike McCartney, HTA president and CEO, attributed some of what he called the leveling off in April to changes in international currency-exchange rates, competition from other destinations and increased travel costs.
“We will continue to see reductions in the average length of stay and per person, per day spending as visitors exercise caution in reaching their budgeted spending limits,” he said in a statement. “We anticipate this trend to continue through May and the first half of June until we head into the summer travel season. We are also cognizant of airlines adjusting their routes to meet demand, resulting in reduced service to the Hawaiian Islands during the second half of the year.”
Among Hawaii’s four largest markets, arrivals from the U.S. West were essentially flat in April, inching up just three-tenths of a percent year over year, while U.S. East visits were up 4.2%.
The state hosted more Japanese visitors, up 6.5%, but arrivals from Canada sunk 7.3% during the month.