Japanese arrivals to Hawaii were expected to drop below last year’s levels after a sluggish start to the year, but visitor industry members say that the market is gaining ground and has a shot at finishing flat to slightly better.

The improvement, though small, is noteworthy because Japan is the state’s top source of international visitors, and much of the tourism infrastructure, especially on Oahu, is built around catering to this mature visitor market.

The state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism’s last quarterly forecast for Japan anticipated that the market would finish this year with 700,000 visitor arrivals, a 2.8% decline or about a 19,599 drop in arrivals from 2024. Visitors from Japan also were forecast to spend $1.05 billion in 2024, a 2.4% decline or a $24

See Full Page