HAWAII’S Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism has predicted there will be no cruise passengers arriving in the state until the second half of 2021. The grim forecast appeared in last week’s second quarter 2020 Statistical and Economic Report, which added it will take six years for visitor arrivals...
HAWAII’S Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism has predicted there will be no cruise passengers arriving in the state until the second half of 2021.
The grim forecast appeared in last week’s second quarter 2020 Statistical and Economic Report, which added it will take six years for visitor arrivals to recover to 2019’s levels, based on the pace of the 2009 Great Recession.
It’s unclear how the downbeat forecast will impact Norwegian Cruise Line, which deploys a dedicated year-round ship in the state, the Pride of America (pictured), believed to be the highest-yielding vessel in the entire Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings fleet.
According to the report, Hawaii is predicted to welcome 3.4 million visitors in 2020, a decrease of 67.5% from 2019 level of 10 million.
Visitor arrivals will increase to 6.2 million in 2021, 8.3 million in 2022, and 9.4 million in 2023, and will not reach the 2019 level until 2025, based on the assumptions.
Visitor spending will also decrease more during the next few years.
The report projected a fall in the state’s economic growth of 12.1% this year due to COVID-19.
