Cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages make Hawaii all the more desirable to many tourists.
Hawaii ended 2011 with 7.3 million visitors, a 3.8 percent increase. December ended even stronger, with arrivals up almost 8 percent and visitor spending for the month hitting a record $1.3 billion.
Last years performance is all the more remarkable given that it was achieved in spite of a 5 percent drop in arrivals from Japan, which traditionally provides Hawaiis most overseas tourists and historically is a key source of big spenders. This decline was more than compensated for by double digit growth in arrivals from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Another positive trend in 2011 was that the average length of stay and per person spending per day both rose.
2012s outlook is even rosier. Hawaiian Airlines is starting nonstop service to New York on June 4th. Three days later United is launching Honolulu to Washington Dulles non-stop service.
2011s performance was all the more remarkable given that airline capacity into and out of Hawaii remained relatively flat last year. The increase in East Coast flights in 2012 will boost airline arrivals. This is particularly beneficial because mainland visitors from the East tend to stay longer and spend more on a daily basis than visitors from the U.S. west coast.
Allegiant Airlines will be introducing cheap fares to the islands later in 2012. www.cheapfares.com