Maui is now bouncing back while Oahu is losing ground. That is the story hidden within Hawaii’s latest visitor statistics, which reveal two very different island experiences. Two years after Lahaina’s fires devastated West Maui, visitors are returning in force and spending more. Oahu, by contrast, has fewer visitors, lower spending, and signs of fatigue that raise questions about its future leadership role in Hawaii travel.
Maui’s remarkable recovery.
State data for August show that visitor spending on Maui increased by 23% compared to the same period last year, reaching $430.7 million. Arrivals climbed 2.3% to 205,182. Average daily spending rose nearly 20% to $286 per person, well above Oahu’s $234. Hotel occupancy improved to 62%, up from 55% in August 2024.
This turnaround is striking given how hard Maui was hit after the August 2023 wildfires. For much of 2024, West Maui tourism struggled as rebuilding efforts and community tensions unfolded. The August numbers now suggest resilience and renewed demand are surfacing. Travelers appear willing to pay more to be on Maui, even with fewer rooms available and higher overall costs.
One visitor told us recently, “We chose Maui again this summer because it felt important to support the island. Yes, it cost more, but the beaches were calmer and we felt welcomed.”
Oahu’s numbers are the opposite.
Visitor arrivals on Oahu dropped 4.2% year-over-year to 496,734. Spending fell 9.4% to $809.5 million. The island’s average daily census was down to 111,348, about 5,000 fewer people per day than in August 2024.
Oahu remains Hawaii’s busiest market, but its slide stands out. For 2025 to date, arrivals are down 1% while Maui is up 8%. Average daily spending slipped nearly 6%.
Why is Oahu weakening? Crowding and closures are one explanation. Diamond Head reservations, Hanauma Bay restrictions, and short-term rental crackdowns have made visiting more complicated. Waikiki still draws first-time travelers, but repeat visitors increasingly report feeling priced out and worn down.
One BOH reader said: “We stopped over in Waikiki every trip. This year, we skipped it. The costs keep rising, and the crowds don’t make it worth it.”
Kauai and the Big Island diverge as well.
Kauai recorded steady gains, with arrivals up 3.2% and spending up 14.5% to $234.4 million. Compared with 2019, Kauai’s August spending is up nearly 50%. Visitors may be fewer in number, but they are spending far more, making Kauai one of Hawaii’s brightest spots.
The Big Island, on the other hand, saw a 4% decline in arrivals to 140,107. Yet visitor spending rose 10% to $235.4 million, thanks to higher daily spend. Like Maui, the Big Island is generating more revenue from visitors, even as the number of visitors is down.
The Japan problem continues.
Japan’s absence continues to loom large. In August, only 83,699 visitors came from Japan, representing a nearly 50% decrease compared to August 2019. Per person daily spend rose to $243, but the sheer volume loss weighs heavily on Oahu, which has long depended on Japanese travel more than any other island.
Until Japan recovers, Oahu may continue to be disadvantaged. Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island rely heavily on U.S. visitors, who continue to travel to Hawaii in large numbers and spend more each day.
Spending more for less.
The statewide paradox is unending. Total arrivals fell 2.6% across Hawaii in August, yet spending grew 3% to $1.72 billion. Average daily spend rose 4.5% to $251 per person, more than 30% higher than in 2019.
Families are paying more for flights, accommodations, and activities, even as they find fewer people competing for beaches or at attractions. Some visitors now describe Hawaii as costing more but offering less. That contradiction is increasingly the defining feature of Hawaii travel.
What this means for Hawaii tourism.
The Maui-Oahu divide is bigger than just one month’s worth of statistics. It highlights how Hawaii travel is fragmenting. Visitors are rediscovering islands in new ways, rewarding Maui for its recovery and bypassing Oahu when frustrations outweigh the appeal.
If the trend continues, Hawaii’s tourism balance could shift. Oahu may face lasting weakness without Japan, while Maui and Kauai absorb more demand from the U.S. mainland. That could mean a future of fewer visitors overall, spending more per person, but concentrated on certain islands.
Readers weigh in.
Your comments reflect the divide already. Some Maui travelers say they are paying more but enjoying calmer beaches and supporting a community still rebuilding. Others feel costs have made Maui unattainable. On Oahu, complaints persist about crowds, regulations, and expenses.
One reader wrote: “Waikiki feels like a turnstile now. It’s all about getting more out of visitors, not giving more.” Another countered: “We still love Oahu. The history, the restaurants, the surf, it’s why we keep coming back.”
The bottom line.
Maui’s comeback and Oahu’s decline show that Hawaii’s visitor economy is no longer moving in a single direction. Islands are diverging, and travelers are making new choices accordingly.
The question now is simple. Where do you find the best value and experience: Maui, Oahu, or somewhere else?
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So, is it me, or are some others confused too? Is there more travel to Maui, or not. I don’t get the spending comparisons saying it has gone up, because prices are on the rise. The Maui Plantation restaurant now charges a kitchen fee! Are these outrageous fees factored into spending increased by BOH? I also, have seen a real change in being treated very poorly as a tourists there from locals on the street, and locals that work at business’. It has been about 11 months since I have been there, prior to that about every year for about 7 years. This last time I went, I was treated the worst by locals. I am a very quiet and respectful visitor. It was pretty quiet there 11 months ago. Is it still just as quiet, or more people compared to then?
“Paying more for less.” BOH nails it again. And it will get harder and harder to reconcile with all the threatened fees and STR bans on the horizon. Having said that, indeed the Maui beaches are quieter, the restaurants easier to book, hiking trails less crowded, the expected result of this vacation inflation – and there appear to be enough people who have the means to cover the costs. In fact, in our visits since the fire we are more than happy to pay that little bit extra “tax” thinking it trickles down through local hands into Maui’s bottom line. At least we hope it does.
My husband and I have visited all of the major islands and our favorite is still Maui. We go twice a year and feel welcome. Yes, prices have increased but they have increased everywhere. We went to Cancun and Cabo this year and while Mexico is still a fairly cheap vacation prices did increase.
“”Two years after Lahaina’s fires devastated West Maui, visitors are returning in force””
Weren’t you lamenting the lack of visitors 3 weeks ago?
Spending is up because of inflation. Our groceries here at home have gone up so in reality I doubt visitors are “spending” more money. We utilize our timeshare with full kitchen which means a trip to Costco, Walmart & Target as soon we land at OGG. Our Sept. trip cost more but I expected that. Rental car costs were up, I had made a reservation for a full size car months before vacation. A month before our vacation the rental fee for the same vehicle dropped over $200 so I switched to a new reservation. We will always visit Merriman’s, it is the highlight of our visit. We used to dine @ Merriman’s once during our 2 week visit but because of the fire we lost other restaurant stops. Now we go to Merriman’s twice during our visit. It’s the only real money other than the car and airfare. So yes spending is up but then again, the cost of life is also up.
Comparing it to a year after a whole town was wiped out? It would be hard not to improve…
Compare 2019 to 2025
This sounds like some real spin.
Back to Maui in January, Kauai in the fall. People continue to be super friendly. We do a lot of our own cooking and shy away from “touristy” things. Yes prices have ticked up, but we are willing to pay to support the local community in the place we love!
Official State of Hawaii statistics available online show daily passenger counts at all major HI airports. The site includes data for daily counts in 2024 and 2019. My impression is that OGG has fewer arrivals almost every day: 3-10% less vs 2024 and 5-25% less vs 2019. HNL occasionally down, LIH and KOA up -some days a lot.
“Maui’s remarkable recovery.
State data for August show that visitor spending on Maui increased by 23% compared to the same period last year, reaching $430.7 million. Arrivals climbed 2.3% to 205,182. Average daily spending rose nearly 20% to $286 per person, well above Oahu’s $234. Hotel occupancy improved to 62%, up from 55% in August”
The big losers are the short-term rentals (STR). People are not booking because of the uncertainty of pending Maui County bill nine. Hotels are up and they cost more than STRs. The only winners are the hotels, BTW don’t hotels gererate less tax revenue that STRs?
We had our typical wonderful Maui experience, but with some differences. It was easy to make a reservation at our timeshare and we got an excellent room when we arrived. We quickly discovered that the restaurants were more crowded than ever even though the number of tourists were down. The reason is that the restaurants in Lahaina were all gone, so the Kaanapali and Kapalua restaurants were more crowded. We were lucky that we had reservations for every night, which is now a necessity. So if you’re coming to West Maui, plan ahead for eating if you want the name restaurants.
“…visitor spending on Maui increased by 23% compared to the same period last year, reaching $430.7 million.”
With the loss of the $48 million expected from the 2026 Sentry at Kapalua, that wipes out over a tenth of Maui’s 2025-2026 tourism spending.
Doesn’t look like Maui visitors will be spending more than ever after all…
When comparing 2019 vs 2025 spending, the “remarkable recovery” is not so remarkable. Inflation rose 27% during that time, so at least on Maui, there has been no effective revenue increase.
Still, the rise from last year is impressive. I’m glad (and somewhat relieved) that there is a category of travelers that still wants to come to Maui. I’d never have believe it if i relied solely on this site’s comments, as well as comments on several other social media sites!
True. The comments on here have been overwhelmingly negative. However, I go to Maui yearly and consider it one of the most beautiful places in the world. I have always felt the Aloha spirit and am consistently treated well by the residents. I go with an open heart and receive what I put out. Maui will bounce back over time. The nature and beauty there will overcome all.
of course the spending is up, all the prices for everything have gone up dramatically, hotels, restaurant meals, car rentals. Cocktails are often 24.00 each or higher…. people have to spend more just to have the same things they use to have, only now there are less jobs to go around. Less short term rentals and therefore less grocery store business and no more need for all the cleaners and maint people. The spin is trying to make it look better, ‘look at the the money that people are spending’. Not more by choice but just to maintain!!