Cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages are helping to bring a record number of visitors to the Hawaiian Islands this year.
Hawaiian tourism count was up almost 9 percent in October when compared to a year ago. Those travelers spent close to 13 percent more. Experts expect this positive trend to continue through the final two months of this year.
Total visor arrivals in 2012 are now forecast at about 8 million, with $14 billion in total expenditures. Previously the most visitors to ever come in Hawaii in one year was the 7.6 million in 2006. The next year experienced the record for spending which came in at $12.8 billion.
Hawaiis biggest tourism market is the West Coast which witnessed an increase of almost 10 percent for October. The number of available seats on scheduled flights during the month increased by over 7 percent. Air service increased in Los Angeles and Las Vegas which more than offset drops in service from Portland and San Francisco.
Japanese tourism in October increased by over 15 percent and was responsible for almost half as many visitors as those that arrived from the West Coast. The number of airline seats to Hawaii from Japan increased by almost 17 percent as airlines added direct flights from Fukuoka and Sapporo to Honolulu and increased service from Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyos Narita airport.
Hawaiis Big Island saw the greatest increase in visitor growth during October. Hawaii Island saw a rise of slightly over 14 percent compared to Oahu whose tourist count was up almost 8 percent, with Maui up over five percent, and Kauai up by less than three percent.
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