Visitor spending in Hawaiʻi in January 2022 lagged pre-pandemic January of 2020 spending by 19%, according to state figures released this week.
Visitor arrivals at the start of this year were down 33% from the same month in 2020. Still, the figures were a vast improvement from those in 2021.
Tourism officials say the industry continues to recover, and Hawaiʻi remains a popular destination.
Mike McCartney, director of the state Department of Economic Development and Tourism, noted that cruise ships finally began arriving at the start of 2022.
He says they expect a strong summer season, and a boost in the second half of the year with the return of travelers from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
