State reports Hawaii visitor spending rises in May, average stay shortens

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – State officials reported visitors spent more money in Hawaii in May, even as the average length of stay declined.

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The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism released new figures Tuesday.

Preliminary statistics show total visitor spending reached $1.77 billion in May 2026, a 5.3% increase from the same month last year.

The state welcomed 800,554 visitors, up 3.8% from May 2025. Visitors also spent an average of $292 per day, a 13.1% year-over-year increase.

Despite the rise in spending and arrivals, the average visitor stayed 7.6 days, down from 8.47 days a year earlier. The statewide average daily visitor census also fell 6.9% to 196,258 visitors.

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Maui posted the largest gains among the major islands, welcoming 231,331 visitors—an 18.4% increase from May 2025. Visitor spending on Maui rose 26.4% to $523.2 million.

Hawaii Island and Kauai also saw increases in both arrivals and visitor spending, while Oahu recorded declines in both categories.

DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka said visitor spending increased among travelers from the U.S. West, U.S. East and Japan, though visitors from those markets spent fewer days in the islands than they did a year ago.

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