Data from the state Department of Business,
Economic Development and Tourism shows March domestic arrivals have been on par
with 2019 levels, Hawaii News Now reported Friday.
A record 10 million people arrived in the
state in 2019.
When the pandemic hit, Hawaii was the only
state in the nation to require negative COVID tests or vaccinations to avoid
quarantine, effectively ending tourism for most of 2020 and much of 2021.
The new numbers are still without much
tourism from Japan, one of Hawaii’s largest markets.
“We know there’s pent-up demand,” said Mufi
Hannemann of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association. “People want to be
able to travel because they’ve been cooped up.”
The high demand is being met with Hawaii’s
limited supply, driving up costs.
“Normally there would be much more
inventory available,” said Bruce Fisher of Hawaii Aloha Travel. “And now
they’re asking premium prices for the same thing that you would’ve gotten a lot
cheaper before.”
Airplane and rental car gasoline prices are
also high, increasing costs for potential tourists.