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Visitors to the Big Island up 10% in January – West Hawaii Today

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Visitors to the Big Island up 10% in January – West Hawaii Today


January visitor numbers on the Big Island could presage a robust year for tourism.

According to data released Thursday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the more than 158,000 visitors to the Big Island in January was 10% more than those who came to the island in January 2024.

Perhaps more significantly, that number also was 7% higher than the visitor rates in January 2019, which may indicate the tourism industry is finally moving past the massive slump caused by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

The average daily visitor census on the island was about 45,000 visitors in January, 4% more than in January 2024 and 6% more than January 2019.

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Big Island visitors collectively spent $305 million in January, not significantly higher than the $299 million they spent in January 2024. But January expenditures were markedly higher than the $253 million spent in January 2019 — unsurprising after six years of inflation.

By comparison, visitors spent a collective total of $3.2 billion on the Big Island in 2024, nearly a full $1 billion more than was spent in 2019.

Per-person per-day spending was slightly lower this January than last year, with a visitor spending an average of $218 each day, $4 less than January 2024.

These numbers come even as international travel continues to flag beneath prepandemic levels. There were no Japan-Kona flights in January, whereas 44 flights carrying nearly 10,000 seats arrived in Kona in January 2019. Only about 3,300 of the 54,296 people visiting Hawaii from Japan in January came to the Big Island.

Statewide, 792,177 visitors arrived to the islands in January, 3.8% more than the previous January, but about 3.1% fewer than January 2019. Total visitor spending was $1.8 billion, up 4.7% from last year and up 17% from January 2019.

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What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood

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What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A family-run Chinese restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown is gearing up for Lunar New Year festivities.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant owner Karen Tam and her son Kirave Liang joined HNN’s Sunrise to showcase their dim sum and Chinese specialties.

Lunar New Year specials include a special jai with 18 vegetarian ingredients and the sweet, sticky, steamed rice cake gau in brown sugar and coconut flavors, which symbolize good fortune and prosperity.

”We eat food with a lucky meaning to start the great year,” Tam said. “We have jin dui (sesame balls) every day.“

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Feb. 17 marks the start of the year of the Fire Horse, when families gather to celebrate with big meals and auspicious dishes. Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood will offer set party menus and special orders for foods not commonly found in Honolulu, such as whole stuffed duck, braised abalone in oyster sauce, and basin meal.

“It’s the biggest fest of the year. We celebrate Chinese New Year by eating with family in a round table,“ Tam said.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood also has private rooms with karaoke systems and a banquet hall to accommodate small family gatherings to large parties.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood is located on 111 N. King St. and is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, There is street parking and paid parking behind the restaurant on Nimitz and Maunakea.

For more information, visit hawaiidimsumseafood.com or follow on Instagram @hawaiidimsumseafood.

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Hawaii suffers first defeat of the season against Loyola Chicago | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaii suffers first defeat of the season against Loyola Chicago | Honolulu Star-Advertiser




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2026 Sony Open field is announced. See who’s playing in Hawaii

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2026 Sony Open field is announced. See who’s playing in Hawaii


The Sony Open in Hawaii has the honors of being the kickoff event to the 2026 PGA Tour season after the cancellation of The Sentry at Kapalua this season.

Instead of Maui, the Tour debuts in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Jan. 15-18, at the Seth Raynor-designed Waialae Country Club, where Nick Taylor prevailed in a playoff over Nico Echavarria last year.

Among the changes this season is the field size, which was reduced from 144 to 120, and, there is no longer is a Monday qualifier offering four spots. Will that help with pace of play? Stay tuned.

The field includes the following notables in addition to Taylor and Echavarria: Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley, Michael Brennan, Corey Conners, Tony Finau, Chris Gotterup, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Billy Horschel, Robert MacIntyre, Collin Morikawa, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Sahith Theegala, Gary Woodland and 62-year-old Vijay Singh.

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Here’s the full field for the Sony Open, which will be live on Golf Channel all four days as well as NBC with early-round coverage on Saturday and Sunday.

This year’s Sony purse is $9.1 million and the winner also will receive 500 FedEx Cup points. 



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