Christine Hitt
Hawaii lost $300 million in tourism revenue during the month of March due to storms, the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism director James Kunane Tokioka said in its March visitor report.
The two back-to-back Kona low storms lasted March 10-15 and March 19-24, and they were also followed by a third storm in early April. Tokioka said these caused flight delays and cancellations, closed parks and visitor attractions and disrupted cruise activities.
The report highlights some of the declines during the month: Compared to March 2025, the total number of visitors by air was 888,349 in March 2026, a 2.4% decline, and visitor spending was $1.96 billion, down 1.6%.
On May 7, a statewide recovery effort was announced by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and the state of Hawaii to encourage travel to the Islands following the Kona low storms.
Gov. Josh Green released $2 million in funds for the initiative, which will focus on making travelers feel welcome and confident about traveling to Hawaii.
"These funds are about supporting Hawaii's economy, local businesses and the people who depend on the visitor industry for their livelihoods," Green said. "We want visitors to know that Hawaii warmly welcomes them and that their visits help fuel our economy."