Visitors to Hawaii climb 2.3 percent in April

Subscribe Now Choose a package that suits your preferences.
Start Free Account Get access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber? Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary Digital account.

HONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaii Tourism Authority says the number of travelers visiting the islands climbed 2.3 percent in April over the same month last year as more tourists arrived from the western part of the United States.

HONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaii Tourism Authority says the number of travelers visiting the islands climbed 2.3 percent in April over the same month last year as more tourists arrived from the western part of the United States.

Data released by the state agency Thursday showed nearly 680,000 people visited the islands in April. Visitor spending rose 5.4 percent to $1.2 billion.

Visitor arrivals from the western part of the U.S. jumped 7.7 percent to more than 295,000. Spending by these travelers grew 6.7 percent.

Visitors from Japan grew 1.9 percent but Japanese travelers overall spent 11 percent less due to the weaker yen.

A stronger yen and weaker dollar makes goods in the U.S. more expensive for Japanese travelers.