INTERNATIONAL VISITORS
Increase in International Visitors
to the Big Island
• Hawaiian Airlines’ new direct flight to Kona from Japan started in December, 2016
adding 3,528 seats per month bringing high spending Japanese visitors to the Kohala
Coast.
• In February 2017, the Big Island saw a 16.4% increase in arrivals from Japan versus
a year ago and considerably more visitors staying exclusively on the Big Island
(+37.4%.)
• The new Kona route will generate $35 million in additional visitor spending and
$12.5 million in wages and benefits according to Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian Airline’s
president and CEO. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, May 14, 2016)
• Over $2 million in improvements to the Kona Airport were recently completed in
anticipation of the increase in International arrivals.
• Kings’ Shops Chinese Royal Passport Program attracts both FIT and Chinese tour
groups and rewards these visitors for shopping and dining at Kings’ Shops. Average
per person per day spending for Chinese visitors to Hawaii is the highest among the
visitor markets at $365.