Tourism to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park contributes $571 million to economy last year

A new National Park Service report reveals that 1,433,593 visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in 2024 had a cumulative economic benefit of $571 million for the local economy.

According to the 2024 Visitor Spending Effects survey data, collected through the National Park Service (NPS) socioeconomic monitoring, visitors spent $445 million in communities near the park last year.

Previous spending estimates for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park were calculated using generalized trip and spending data from other parks in the National Park System. The 2024 visitor spending estimates more accurately reflect local visitor spending patterns, as well as changes in inflation and visitation.

“People come to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to experience active volcanism, its plants and animals, and the Hawaiian culture, and as a result, visitors support and spend money in local communities,” said Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “We mahalo the communities and the visitor industry who in turn support the park and our visitors.”

The report stated that the $445 million in expenditures supported 3,605 jobs and $571 million in economic output in local gateway economies.

About 80% of visitors stayed overnight in local area lodging and spent an average of $763 per group per night.

On average, visitors who stayed in local area accommodations—lodging, camping, or staying in unpaid lodging with family or friends—spent 6.4 nights on the Island of Hawaiʻi.

Approximately 24% of all overnight visitors indicated that Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was the primary reason for their trip to the Island of Hawaiʻi.

An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can view year-by-year trend data on the National Park Service website.