Published on : Saturday, February 10, 2018
Last year, Hawaii received a record 9.3 million visitors, marking a 4.6% increase from 2016. Oahu, home to Waikiki and its world-famous beach, is the greatest draw for the majority of the tourists, but neighboring islands saw the biggest increases in the number of visitors in 2017.
With more people vacationing in Hawaii, there was an increase in the average hotel room costs too.
The average daily room price in 2017 climbed to $264 a night, up $10 from the previous year. This year, visitors will have to pay 1% more than they did in 2017, thanks to a room tax that took effect Jan. 1. The statewide Transient Accommodations Tax will be used for a light-rail project on Oahu.
Almost 1.8 million travelers explored the island during 2017, a 14% increase from the previous year. Visitor spending was up by almost 15%.
Officials at the Hawaii Tourism Authority credited the tourism boost to the increased number of flights — from the U.S. mainland and Japan — to Hawaii Island. The second-largest increase in visitors was on Kauai, where the number of arrivals grew 7.5% to nearly 1.3 million tourists. Maui hosted more than 2.7 million tourists, a 4.1% gain.
Oahu’s visitor count also grew by 4.1%. Its total number of tourists, nearly 5.7 million, eclipses that of the other islands.
Waikiki’s newest hotel, the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger, celebrated an unofficial opening Feb. 1. It is getting a $25-million renovation that’s expected to be completed late this summer. The hotel, which opened in 1970, most recently was branded as a Holiday Inn.
Expect to pay considerably more at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on Maui. To celebrate the North Shore resort’s 25th anniversary, it is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation.
Visitors this year will enjoy remodeled guest rooms as well as changes to the lobby and pool areas. Kai Café, a grab-and-go for breakfast and lunch stop, recently opened as part of the renovations.
Tags: hawaii