More visitors traveled to the Big Island during September, however, they spent less money and time on the Orchid Isle than a year ago.
More visitors traveled to the Big Island during September, however, they spent less money and time on the Orchid Isle than a year ago.
During September, 102,160 visitors arrived by air to the island, up 2.1 percent from 100,057 in September 2014, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the state’s tourism agency. The agency attributed the increase to added direct flights from the West Coast to Kona, as well as to visitors who stayed exclusively on the Big Island. An additional 32,396 people came to the island via cruise ship, an increase of 53.5 percent from last year.
On the year, more than 1.3 million people have traveled to the Big Island, an increase of 4.6 percent over 2014.
Though more people are coming to Hawaii Island, they are spending less time and money, according to HTA.
Visitors to the Big Island during September stayed just less than a week, down 4.4 percent from 2014. Through September, the average length of stay was 7.45 days, down less than one percent from the same period of time last year.
Compared with September 2014, visitors last month spent $7.9 million less during their stay. Spending per person, per trip on the Big Island was $1,166, down $104 from 2014.
Statewide, arrivals, including by air and cruise ship, were up 4.7 percent with 652,616 people visiting the state during September. Year-over-year, Hawaii has welcomed about 300,000 more travelers in 2015 than 2014.
Like the Big Island, statewide length of stay and spending numbers are down when compared with 2014. Visitors are staying on average 8.37 days, down 2.5 percent from 2014. They are also spending about $100 less per person, per trip, according to the state agency.