Hawaii Deemed a 'Safe and Secure' Destination Following Large-Scale DBEDT Survey

Claudette Covey
by Claudette Covey
Last updated: 10:25 AM ET, Tue April 30, 2024

The vast majority of Hawaii visitors believe the destination ranks as one that is “safe and secure,” according to a Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) survey that polled fourth-quarter 2023 visitors from the US East and West Coast Coasts, Canada, Japan, Oceania countries, Korea and China.

Upward of 90 percent of visitors from all markets rated Hawaii as “excellent or ‘above average’ when it comes to being a safe and secure destination, including 99 percent from Canada, 97.8 percent from the U.S. East, and 97.8 percent from the U.S. West,” the survey found.

Furthermore, “at least 95 percent of visitors from each geographic region rated the Hawaiian Islands as having met or exceeded their expectations.”

“Similar to previous quarters, all markets surveyed cited Hawai‘i’s high vacation costs as the biggest barrier to returning in the next five years,” the Hawaii Tourism Authority said.

“The latest survey results also showed that the experience on Maui improved among visitors from the U.S. and Canada improved since the devastating August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina,” tourism officials added.

“The percentage of visitors to Maui who rated their trip ‘excellent increased to 87.8 percent among visitors from the US West, 89.3 percent from the US East and 90.8 percent from Canada.”

“The positive feedback from visitors underscores the efforts of everyone involved in the tourism sector to ensure that travelers feel safe throughout Hawai‘i,” said Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, HTA’s interim president and CEO.

“Collectively with the community, we continue to shape unforgettable experiences that resonate with visitors long after they have returned home.”


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