Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/hawaii-is-losing-repeat-american-visitors-heres-why/
There was a time when returning to Hawaii felt like coming home. Same beach. Same hotel. Same ritual of stepping off the plane and breathing in that warm, flower-scented air. For millions of American families, Hawaii wasn’t just a destination, it was a yearly reunion with paradise. That era is quietly unraveling.
The numbers don’t lie, and frankly, they’re a little uncomfortable to look at if you love these islands. The reasons behind the decline are layered, interlocking, and rooted in decisions that stretch from state legislatures all the way down to airline boardrooms. Let’s dive in.
The Visitor Numbers Are Sliding – And Pre-Pandemic Levels Feel Far Away
In 2025, Hawaii welcomed a total of about 9.64 million visitors, down slightly from 9.70 million in 2024. Total visitor spending for that same year was $21.75 billion, an increase from about $20.58 billion in 2024. On the surface, more money sounds like good news. Look closer, though, and the story gets more complicated.
That 9.64 million figure represents a 0.6% drop from 2024 and falls nearly a million short of the 10.4 million arrivals recorded in 2019, which was Hawaii’s highest year on record. Think about that for a second. Despite years of post-pandemic travel enthusiasm, Hawaii still hasn’t climbed back to where it was. Industry consultant Keith Vieira has noted that 2026 is projected to be flat…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-02-28 11:47:00
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