WAILUKU - Maui's visitor recovery continued its nearly level trajectory in November, with a 1.9 percent increase in visitor arrivals to more than 165,000 and a 5.4 percent growth in total visitor spending to almost $250 million, according to statistics released Friday by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority.
The figures compare the island's visitor industry performance in November with the same month last year.
The increase in Maui visitor arrivals in the first 11 months of 2011 also was in the single digits, 4.2 percent to nearly 1.9 million, but overall visitor expenditures were up 12.9 percent to $2.8 billion for the same period on the Valley Isle, tourism officials said.
Molokai's visitor arrivals were up 16.2 percent to 4,233 in November, while Lanai's visitors increased 8.3 percent to 5,133. For the 11-month period, Molokai's arrivals grew 14.1 percent to 51,342 and Lanai's went up 14.2 percent to 70,004.
Molokai's visitor spending in November rose 13.8 percent to $2.6 million, and Lanai's jumped 24.8 percent to $7 million. Through November, spending on Molokai increased 2.2 percent to $25.4 million, and Lanai's grew 27 percent to $78.3 million.
The authority said that, in November, the Valley Isle saw a 6.3 percent increase in arrivals in visitors from Japan, a 1.3 percent growth in tourists from the West Coast and a 3.4 percent hike from the East Coast. Those offset a 1.4 percent decline in visitors from Canada.
However, for the first 11 months of the year, arrivals from Canada rose 15.1 percent, the East Coast was up 2.2 percent and the West Coast increased 1.2 percent. Japanese arrivals dropped 2.4 percent in the first 11 months of the year, compared with the same period in 2010.
Statewide, Hawaii visitor spending and arrivals to the state increased in November compared to a year ago, tourism officials said Friday.
The boost - an 8.2 percent growth in spending to $972.7 million and a 2.6 percent increase in total arrivals to 555,630 visitors - doesn't fully reflect the impact on tourism from November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Hawaii Tourism Authority said.
Last month's visitor data does not include APEC attendees who arrived via private planes or government transportation, as well as ancillary business spending including security expenses, equipment rental fees, meeting rooms and private parties, said Mike McCartney, the authority's president and chief executive officer.
"While the direct impact from the event is currently being analyzed, the HTA is working with our industry partners and stakeholders to capitalize on the momentum following APEC," he said. "Hawaii's hosting of APEC was an investment in our state's long-term future and sustainability of Hawaii's tourism economy."
Last month, total arrivals by air increased 3.6 percent. Arrivals from Japan grew 4.7 percent, the third consecutive month of increases. Arrivals from Canada and the U.S. Mainland also were higher compared to November 2010.
Cruise ship arrivals fell 32 percent.
For the first 11 months of the year, total visitor expenditures increased 15.1 percent, compared to the same period last year, to $11.3 billion.
"Continued growth in visitor spending is a strong indication that Hawaii's tourism economy is improving," McCartney said. "As we head into 2012, we anticipate seeing an increased shift of our visitor profile with a growing number of visitor arrivals from the Asia-Pacific region."
