With winter scenes like most Canadians experienced over the holidays, it’s of little surprise that nearly 88% of residents of this country travelling to Hawaii last fall expressed satisfaction with their visit to the islands, according to new data from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The “excellent” rating mirrored overall visitor satisfaction levels that have continued to trend upward trend since the beginning of the year to rival pre-pandemic levels.
Visitors rating their most recent trip to Hawaii as “excellent” included US West (88.7%), US East (89.4%), Canada (87.8%), Japan (81.3%), Oceania (80.6%) and Korea (84.6%).
The results follow a significant dip in satisfaction among visitors to Hawaii in Q3 2020.
“An essential component of Hawaii’s sustained recovery is the high level of visitor satisfaction during the third quarter. These high ratings are attributable to the many kama‘āina who work directly or indirectly in hospitality – from flight attendants and front desk agents, to stewards of our natural and cultural resources, to musicians and entertainers, and shop owners and restaurant servers,” said John De Fries, HTA president and CEO.
“The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s comprehensive approach to destination management and visitor education places the community’s needs first and foremost,” he added. “We aim to foster the right balance in which Hawaii’s residents, natural resources and culture can thrive, and visitors can have a meaningful, enriching experience.”
Prior to or during their trip, the majority of visitors surveyed from Canada, the US, Japan, and Korea recalled seeing or hearing information about safe and responsible travel; caring for and respecting Hawaii’s culture, people, and environment; and ocean and hiking safety.
Among visitors, 49.1% of Canadians stated that their most recent visit “exceeded expectations.” First-timers expressed higher degrees of satisfaction than repeat visitors.
Data also revealed that 64.1% of Canadians indicated they are likely to return and seven in 10 (69%) expressed interest in doing so in the near future.
The high cost of a vacation in Hawaii was the top reason cited for being unlikely to revisit in the next five years among visitors from all markets surveyed.
The majority of visitors in Q3 from all markets surveyed are “very likely” to recommend the Hawaiian Islands as a vacation destination to their friends and family. Visitors from North American markets are the most likely to recommend, led by Canadians at 89.8%.
The visitor research was conducted between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31 and included 1,034 from Canadians.