DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: Visitor Spending Increased in December 2025 as Visitor Arrivals Declined

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI

JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION

VISITOR SPENDING INCREASED IN DECEMBER 2025 AS VISITOR ARRIVALS DECLINED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 29, 2026

HONOLULU – According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), total spending by visitors in December 2025 was $2.12 billion (measured in nominal dollars), a 3.7 percent increase compared to December 2024. Visitors in December 2025 spent more on an average daily basis ($273 per person, +11.0%) which offset a 4.3 percent decline in total arrivals to 868,894 visitors.

In December 2025, 850,263 visitors arrived by air service to the Hawaiian Islands, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 18,631 visitors arrived via out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 889,559 visitors (-4.4%) arrived by air and 18,055 visitors (+3.2%) came by out-of-state cruise ships in December 2024.

The average length of stay by total visitors in December 2025 was 8.92 days, which was shorter compared to December 2024 (9.14 days, -2.4%). The statewide average daily census was 249,958 visitors in December 2025 compared to 267,542 visitors
(-6.6%) in December 2024.

In December 2025, 432,477 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, a 4.8 percent decline from December 2024 (454,495 visitors). Although there were fewer U.S. West visitors in December 2025, they stayed longer (9.08 days, +2.4%) and spent more on a daily average, which contributed to growth in total spending ($1.04 billion) compared to December 2024 ($936.1 million, +11.5%). Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in December 2025 of $266 per person was higher than December 2024 ($232 per person, +14.5%). They spent more in all categories, with lodging, food and beverage and transportation having the largest increases.

There were 235,103 visitors from the U.S. East in December 2025, up 2.6 percent from December 2024 (229,149 visitors). U.S. East visitors in December 2025 also spent more per day, contributing to higher total spending ($663.2 million) than in December 2024 ($603.1 million, +10.0%). Daily spending by U.S. East visitors rose to $308 per person in December 2025 compared to $260 per person (+18.3%) in December 2024.  Similar to their U.S. West counterparts, daily spending by U.S. East visitors increased in all categories and the largest growth was in lodging, food and beverage and transportation.

In December 2025, 71,929 visitors arrived from Japan, growth of 8.3 percent from December 2024 (66,442 visitors). Visitors from Japan spent $104.9 million in December 2025 compared to $96.8 million (+8.4%) in December 2024. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in December 2025 ($237 per person) increased slightly from December 2024 ($235 per person, +0.9%). Japanese visitors in December 2025 spent more per day on lodging, transportation, entertainment and recreation, while food and beverage and shopping expenses were similar to December 2024.

In December 2025, 46,633 visitors arrived from Canada, a 14.0 percent decline from December 2024 (54,201 visitors). Visitors from Canada spent $118.7 million in December 2025 compared to $137.5 million (-13.7%) in December 2024. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in December 2025 ($224 per person) was slightly less than December 2024 ($226 per person, -0.9%). Canadian visitors in December 2025 spent less per day on food and beverage and shopping, but spent more on transportation, entertainment and recreation. Their lodging expenses were about the same as December 2024.

There were 64,121 visitors from all other international markets in December 2025, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands and other countries. In comparison, there were 85,271 visitors (-24.8%) from all other international markets in December 2024.

Air capacity to Hawai‘i in December 2025 (5,541 transpacific flights with 1,219,835 seats) increased compared to December 2024 (5,366 flights, +3.3% with 1,194,302 seats, +2.1%).

Calendar Year 2025

A total of 9,642,991 visitors arrived in calendar year 2025, down slightly from 9,701,499 visitors (-0.6%) in 2024.

In 2025, total visitor spending was $21.75 billion, which was an increase from $20.58 billion (+5.7%) in 2024.

VIEW FULL NEWS RELEASE AND TABLES

Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka

In December 2025, despite fewer total visitors (-4.3%) compared to last December, visitors spent more on a daily basis, resulting in 3.7 percent growth in total visitor spending to $2.12 billion. Daily spending on lodging and food and beverage by U.S West and U.S East visitors has increased significantly compared to a year ago, contributing to the overall increase in spending.

Several large events highlighted the month. The 2025 Honolulu Marathon on December 14, featured nearly 42,000 participants. Close to 70 percent of these participants were from out of state. There were about 12,000 runners from Japan which contributed to increases in visitor arrivals (71,929 visitors, +8.3%) and visitor spending ($104.9 million, +8.4%) from this market, compared to December 2024.

The Pacifichem 2025 International Congress of Pacific Basin Societies, from December 15-20, drew close to 10,000 attendees including researchers, educators and industry leaders from across the Pacific Basin and beyond. This was the last citywide conference at the Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) until January 2028, when HCC is scheduled to reopen after roof repairs and other renovations are completed.

Looking back at calendar year 2025, despite some challenges, total arrivals were basically flat (9,642,991 visitors, -0.6%) while total visitor spending ($21.75 billion, +5.7%) was above 2024 levels.

The U.S. West, Hawai‘i’s largest visitor market, recorded fewer visitors in the second half of 2025, resulting in a modest increase in arrivals (5,010,108 visitors, +0.3%) for the calendar year. U.S. West visitor spending rose 9.0 percent to $10.51 billion in 2025.

The U.S East market recorded growth in both visitor arrivals (2,405,658 visitors +1.4%) and visitor spending ($6.61 billion, +8.9%) in 2025.

We are encouraged by increases in visitor arrivals (731,922 visitors, +3.3%) and total visitor spending ($1.08 billion, +2.9%) from Japan in 2025, compared to a year ago.

The Canadian market, however, was impacted by economic and political uncertainty and recorded declines in visitor arrivals (394,345 visitors, -11.6%) and visitor spending ($996.7 million, -8.7%) in 2025.

Tourism on Maui continued to recover from the August 2023 wildfires. For 2025, total arrivals (2,516,163 visitors, +7.0%) and total visitor spending ($5.97 billion, +12.7%) increased compared to 2024.

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