Most visitors – including Canadians – see Hawaii as a safe and secure destination, according to the islands’ latest Visitor Satisfaction and Activity Survey (VSAT), which surveyed visitors from multiple destinations who visited Hawaii in the fourth quarter of 2023. More than 90% of visitors from all markets rated Hawaii as “excellent” or “above average” when it comes to being a safe and secure destination, including 99.0% from Canada.
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) Q4 2023 survey found that at least 95% of visitors from each geographic region rated the Hawaiian Islands as having met or exceeded their expectations. The majority of visitors said they are very likely to recommend Hawaii to their friends and relatives.
Overall satisfaction levels among visitors from all markets surveyed remained high, with 89.6% of visitors from the US East and Canada rating their most recent trip to Hawaii as “excellent,” followed by 87.5% from US West, 83.9% from Korea, 78.6% from Japan, and 78.5% from Oceania.
Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) Board Chair Mufi Hannemann emphasized, “I have always believed that ensuring the safety and security of our residents and visitors is a top priority. Hawaii’s aloha spirit and commitment to public safety reinforces our reputation as a safe and welcoming destination for travellers from around the globe.”
He also credited the Safe & Sound Waikiki program for reducing crimes reported in the Waikiki area over the past year and a half since its inception and underscoring the importance of continued collaboration among various stakeholders.
“The positive feedback from visitors underscores the efforts of everyone involved in the tourism sector to ensure that travellers feel safe throughout Hawaii,” said Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, HTA’s interim president and CEO.
Of those surveyed, at least 58% of visitors from all markets indicated they were “very likely” to return to the state of Hawaii in the next five years, though, similar to previous quarters, all markets surveyed cited Hawaii’s high vacation costs as the biggest barrier to returning in the next five years.
The latest survey results also showed that the experience on Maui among visitors from the US and Canada improved since the devastating August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina. The percentage of visitors to Maui who rated their trip “excellent” increased to 90.8% from Canada. Additionally, the percentage of visitors from Canada who said they are “very likely” to return to Maui in the next five years to 67.5%.
Visitors from all markets who went to Maui cited famous landmarks or imagery and natural beauty as their primary motivation to visit, followed by outdoor or sporting activities, and events.
The VSAT is an ongoing survey of visitors from key visitor markets who recently completed a trip to the Hawaiian Islands.