How are current world events influencing travelers in the U.S. and their travel plans?
Hawaii.com asked and hundreds responded. The travel site surveyed more than 300 people in March to gauge traveler sentiment. Here’s what they found:
- Nearly two-thirds of respondents say recent global events have made them reconsider international travel — 54% said “yes, somewhat,” and 13% said “yes, significantly.” The remaining 33% of respondents reported no change.
- Of those surveyed, 33% said they would “definitely” and 60% would “probably” consider staying within the U.S. for their vacation if international travel felt risky. Meanwhile, 5% said “probably not” and 2% said “definitely not.”
- Travelers with children were "significantly" more likely to reconsider international travel and far more likely to say they would choose a domestic destination instead, the survey found. Older travelers are “significantly” more likely to reconsider international travel while younger travelers are more willing to travel abroad “despite global uncertainty.”
- Which U.S. destinations would the respondents consider visiting instead of international locales? 85% selected 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, recently told 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 comes to the size of the survey, Rogers says that “more is always better,” but 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 were up 3.6% in February compared to the same month in 2025, according to preliminary statistics from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, which were released March 30.
That month, 787,024 visitors came to the Islands — 760,790 of whom arrived by air, largely from the west and east regions of the U.S. Mainland, and 26,234 of whom arrived via out-of-state cruises, DBEDT notes.
Hawaii.com recently relaunched as a “fully reimagined digital destination designed to inspire travelers and help them plan authentic experiences across Hawai‘i,” an announcement in February noted.
Rogers says the site has been owned by newspaper companies for more than two decades before the current ownership took control.
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 other newspapers across the Islands.
Rogers says the site is largely complete, but work on it will continue.
According to the February announcement, the revamped site features "expanded, locally sourced stories, insider guides and curated itineraries created by seasoned travel journalists and local experts," but a new AI-powered itinerary builder that lets travelers personalize their trip based on budget and interest, is on the way.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
