How world occasions are influencing journey selections

How are present world occasions influencing vacationers within the U.S. and their journey plans?

Hawaii.com requested and lots of responded. The journey web site surveyed greater than 300 folks in March to gauge traveler sentiment. Here’s what they discovered:

• Nearly two-thirds of respondents say current international occasions have made them rethink worldwide journey — 54% stated “yes, somewhat,” and 13% stated “yes, significantly.” The remaining 33% of respondents reported no change.
• Of these surveyed, 33% stated they’d “definitely” and 60% would “probably” think about staying throughout the U.S. for his or her trip if worldwide journey felt dangerous. Meanwhile, 5% stated “probably not” and a pair of% stated “definitely not.”
• Travelers with youngsters had been “significantly” extra prone to rethink worldwide journey and much more prone to say they’d select a home vacation spot as an alternative, the survey discovered. Older vacationers are “significantly” extra prone to rethink worldwide journey whereas youthful vacationers are extra prepared to journey overseas “despite global uncertainty.”
• Which U.S. locations would the respondents think about visiting as an alternative of worldwide locales? 85% chosen Hawai‘i. Also on the list: national parks (54%); U.S. territories in the Caribbean (42%); California (42%); New York (39%); Alaska (25%); Florida (12%) and Texas (7%).
• Among the factors that are most important when choosing a travel destination right now: cost (65%), weather (60%), cultural experiences (57%), outdoor activities (47%), safety (37%) and ease of travel (33%).

You can see the survey results here.

“Historically, during periods of global conflict — including 9/11, the Iraq War and the Ukraine war — Americans consistently pull back from international travel while maintaining or increasing domestic trips,” a recent announcement from Hawaii.com notes. “Destinations like Hawaiʻi benefit from that shift because they offer an international-style experience without the perceived risks or friction of leaving the U.S.”

In recent months, there’s been unrest in Mexico and ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Glenn Rogers, CEO of Hawaii.com, not too long ago instructed Aloha State Daily that the March survey wasn’t “solely in reaction to the recent troubles in Mexico, but it is a fact that if there is trouble in parts of the world that are directly competitive with Hawai‘i, suddenly there is a surge in searches for Hawai‘i, which I guess is to be expected. … Families in particular are risk-adverse, so we wanted to just formalize that thought, which is not shocking, that if people are scared, they’re less likely to want to go to a place. I think the thing that, I won’t say it was surprising, but was reassuring, is that of all the alternatives that people think about, Hawai‘i was No. 1.”

When it involves the dimensions of the survey, Rogers says that “more is always better,” however a survey with 300-plus respondents is “certainly big enough to give you a [base], particularly since you’re talking to the exact audience you want, which is high-intention travelers. … I think that makes the 300 more powerful than if you had 5,000, 4,000 of which were never planning to go to Hawai‘i anyway or even travel.”

Visitor arrivals to Hawai‘i had been up 3.6% in February in comparison with the identical month in 2025, based on preliminary statistics from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, which had been released March 30.

That month, 787,024 guests got here to the Islands — 760,790 of whom arrived by air, largely from the west and east areas of the U.S. Mainland, and 26,234 of whom arrived through out-of-state cruises, DBEDT notes.

Hawaii.com not too long ago relaunched as a “fully reimagined digital destination designed to inspire travelers and help them plan authentic experiences across Hawai‘i,” an announcement in February famous.

Rogers says the positioning has been owned by newspaper corporations for greater than twenty years earlier than the present possession took management.

A report from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser notes that ownership transitioned in 2024 “from Black Press Ltd. to Canadian investors Canso Investment Counsel Ltd. and Deans Knight Capital Management Ltd., along with Carpenter Media Group,” which owns Star-Advertiser and different newspapers across the Islands.

Rogers says the positioning is essentially full, however work on it’s going to proceed.

According to the February announcement, the revamped web site options “expanded, locally sourced stories, insider guides and curated itineraries created by seasoned travel journalists and local experts,” however a brand new AI-powered itinerary builder that lets vacationers personalize their journey primarily based on funds and curiosity, is on the way in which.

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Stephanie Salmons will be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.