George D. Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), issued the following statement commenting on Hawaii’s visitor statistics for May 2017.

“The month of May, historically an off-peak travel period, maintained the strong pace of Hawaii’s tourism industry that no one predicted at the start of the year. Visitor spending was up 8.7 percent statewide in May versus a year ago, as Hawaii continued to benefit from robust travel demand, most notably from the mainland U.S., Japan and Canada. Tourism’s economic impact was spread across the State, with double-digit increases in visitor spending reported for Maui, Kauai and the island of Hawaii.

“Year-to-date, Hawaii’s tourism industry has generated $806.9 million in tax revenue for the State of Hawaii through May, which is $72.2 million, or 9.8 percent, ahead of last year’s record-setting pace. This is tax revenue that is needed to help strengthen the foundation of our State in supporting programs that benefit communities and residents, both today and in years to come.

“Hawaii is fortunate to be such a popular choice among travel consumers around the world, especially with so many other destinations competing for their attention. Hawaii’s aloha spirit, the warmth of our people and the beauty of our islands continues to resonate with global travelers and offers an experience unmatched by any other destination. Mahalo to all of our travel industry professionals for making the Hawaiian Islands such a wonderful place to host visitors and create fond memories to share with family and friends.”