Take advantage of two quick Hawaiian travel changes

Hawaii’s American visitors increased 19 percent in January, compared to record 2019 levels. What does it mean for those planning a Hawaii vacation? Here’s what you need to know.

First, this data indicates that Hawaii’s travel continues to exceed all expectations, and this opposition is contrary to traditional economic conditions. In other words, people who are thinking of leaving. And Hawaii remains in many people’s minds, even as others say it is too expensive or has lost interest. This trend is catching the industry off guard.

So needless to say, those 800,000 visitors paid a premium for their time here in Hawaii, up 36 percent from last year and up 17 percent from 2019. Annual holidays and the risk of inflation and recession.

1. Short booking window and how to use it.

In particular, there is a new tendency to book Hawaii vacations in the last 90 days before departure. Most bookings happen 4-6 weeks before the trip. This started years ago but has accelerated dramatically recently. It prevails most times of the year except during the summer and end-of-year holidays, which become cost-prohibitive. This is making it difficult for the industry to plan and set prices. But, on the other hand, that can be good for visitors.

To take advantage of this, search for the best prices available one to four months (not peak) before travel. The trend toward better accommodation prices should spread, and we’ve seen that happen.

2023 is still on a record breaking trend.

It’s still too early to tell how the rest of the year will pan out, but by all accounts, 2o23 will break all previous records, even if there’s a reason it shouldn’t. “Hawaii’s tourism industry is off to a great start in 2023,” says the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBDT).

Cruises to Hawaii are getting a little faster than those arriving by air. About 17,000 visitors arrived by ship in January, an increase of 38 percent compared to 2019.

2. The lack of international arrivals provides a second bargaining chip.

Because the neighboring islands always see fewer international visitors, they are less affected by their not yet returning. Thus, the Big Island and Kauai increased in January, while Maui remained unchanged, and Oahu has become increasingly dependent on Japanese visitors.. On a positive note, this hotel rate will continue to hold, especially on Oahu.

Until international arrivals return to normal, visitors should expect to find the best deals on Honolulu accommodations. We’re finding discounts of up to 25% or more at various accommodations, including the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Prince Waikiki (both 25%/4th night free) and the Outrigger ($149/night for a 7-night stay). ). The Waikiki Beach Marriott is down 30% below normal. These deals are just starting to unfold and should even improve.