HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – New information supplies a brand new perspective on Hawaii’s post-pandemic tourism restoration.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is utilizing geolocation information from smartphones to see the place essentially the most visited sights are throughout the state.

The graph under reveals the highest six factors of curiosity from the month of September 2022.

As you would possibly count on, Kalakaua Avenue is essentially the most visited place within the state, adopted by Kailua City, Upcountry Maui, Chinatown, Ala Moana Purchasing Heart and eventually Ko Olina Resort.

All of these high six locations are being largely visited by residents.

Tourism trade professional and College of Hawaii Professor Dr. Jerry Agrusa explains why these numbers are nonetheless skewed towards residents in locations like Waikiki and Ala Moana Heart.

Agrusa says we nonetheless haven’t seen an enormous return of “procuring guests.”

”We now have the vacationer and they’re spending extra money however they’re largely from the U.S. mainland. We now have a trickle of worldwide guests which have come within the final two, three months, however we nonetheless haven’t had that wave of particularly Japanese, which is our primary worldwide market by far,” stated Agrusa.

“In 2019, we had 1.6 million Japanese for the yr. This month, we have been within the 1000’s. It’s not even shut. We’re not even 10% of the place we have been.”

So, the place within the state are we seeing extra guests then residents?

On Maui, Entrance Avenue in Lahaina, Whalers Village Purchasing Heart, Kaanapali Kai Golf Course in addition to Lahaina Market Place Purchasing Heart have been visited extra by residents.

On Oahu, residents are outnumbered by guests at Dole Plantation, Kuhio Seaside park, Pearl Harbor Nationwide Memorial and Fort DeRussy Seaside Park.

The return of worldwide guests has been a lot slower than many within the tourism trade have been hoping for. Many individuals might have thought when Japan lately lifted extra COVID journey restrictions, Hawaii would have seen the floodgates open and the massive scale return of Japanese guests.

The state has seen them come again however no the place close to the numbers previous to the pandemic in 2019.

Japan remains to be our high market, however there have been just a bit over 24,000 guests in September of this yr — a greater than an 83 p.c drop in comparison with 2019.

”Quite a lot of the Japanese e-book their journey six months prematurely and since six months in the past, there have been nonetheless lock downs. In order that’s why, they normally do long run visits. Additionally, the Yen is so weak in opposition to the American greenback. Final Sunday, it was 150 yen to the greenback, it ought to be 110 yen to the greenback. So that you’ve acquired this alternate price that has simply gone manner uncontrolled for them,” added Agrusa.

He added one other barrier for Japanese Vacationers is the gasoline surcharge Japanese airways should pay who in-turn move these prices on to passengers.

For instance, Japan Airways tickets issued on or after Oct. 1 till the tip of this month, a customer coming to Hawaii must fork out an additional 37,400 Yen on high of the value of their ticket (roughly $260).

Lastly, a more in-depth have a look at Hawaii’s high home markets, these touring right here from the U.S. mainland.

For those who spend a lot time on Kalakaua Avenue (Hawaii’s most visited focal point) you’ll discover nearly all of individuals strolling the sidewalks are largely People.

The graphic under reveals the highest ten states the place guests to Hawaii journey from.

It might be no shock that California is primary. It’s the closest and shortest direct flight. This previous September, greater than 248,000 individuals visited from California.

A stark distinction from the worldwide numbers, all of those markets have elevated this September in comparison with pre-pandemic September 2019.

Whereas New York is on the backside of this listing, it’s nonetheless increased than quite a lot of different states. Regardless of a direct flight from JFK by Hawaiian Airways and the direct United Airways flight from Newark, solely 11,007 individuals visited from New York in September. Nonetheless, Dr. Agrusa says Hawaii may see a shock bump in guests from the east coast this winter.

”As a result of quite a lot of of us have been already planning on doing their winter journey all the way down to the nice and cozy Caribbean, you noticed quite a lot of hurricanes that hit the particularly the large one which hit Florida a couple of weeks in the past and immediately’s one other hurricane warning. The hurricane season is de facto excessive within the Caribbean and persons are saying you understand what, I’ll pay just a little additional, I’ll fly just a little longer and I’ll go to a spot the place I don’t have to fret a couple of hurricane. For those who noticed the harm that was proven on the information in Florida, all that did was assist Hawaii Tourism, particularly from the East Coast,” Agrusa stated.

Dr. Agrusa went on to say that regardless of inflation and different financial hardships introduced on by the pandemic, many mainland People have disposable, trip revenue, particularly these working within the tech and well being care industries.

For extra customer information from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, click on right here.

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