Hawaii’s November tourism sees fewer visitors but record-breaking spending
Hawaii’s tourism sector showed mixed results in November 2025. While visitor numbers dipped slightly, those who did travel spent significantly more. The average daily expenditure per person rose sharply, alongside a longer average stay on the islands.
The total number of visitors to Hawaii fell by 3.6% in November 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. Despite this drop, overall spending surged by 15.9%, reaching $1.766 billion. The average daily spend per person climbed to $271, a 15% increase from the previous year.
Visitors also stayed longer, with the average trip extending to 8.85 days. Spending patterns varied by country of origin: U.S. tourists boosted their expenditure by nearly 25%, pouring $1.42 billion into the local economy. In contrast, Canadian visitors cut back, with their spending plummeting by 22% to nearly $95 million. Japanese tourists, however, increased their spending by 1.6%, reaching $83 million. For the first 11 months of 2025, the total visitor count remained almost unchanged, slipping by just 0.2% compared to 2024. Yet spending over the same period rose by nearly 6%. The upcoming Honolulu Marathon in December 2025, expected to draw over 30,000 participants, may further lift the year’s final figures.
November 2025 highlighted a shift in Hawaii’s tourism trends. Fewer visitors arrived, but those who did spent more and stayed longer. The year-to-date spending growth suggests a stronger financial impact from tourism, even with flat arrival numbers.
