Visitors who arrived here by air totaled 7.38 million and spent a record $11.5 billion, topping the previous year's benchmark, according to preliminary statistics released yesterday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. About 77,600 visitors arrived here by ship last year.

"Passing the 7 million milestone was a tremendous achievement for our state's visitor industry, and we are also pleased to achieve an all-time high of $11.5 billion in expenditures," said state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert. "These milestones reflect the quality and professionalism of everyone involved in the visitor industry."

The growth in visitor days (6.9 percent) and total expenditures (8.4 percent) was largely due to the increase in volume of visitors. The average length of stay was flat and spending per person daily grew just 1.3 percent to $171.90. Spending per person per trip grew 1.5 percent to $1,563.60.

The number of air visitors from Hawai'i's major markets — the Mainland, Japan and Canada — increased last year. But while Mainland and Canadian visitor spending increased, Japanese tourists spent slightly less daily and per trip, resulting in zero growth in Japanese total expenditures.

Every island hosted more visitors last year, and all saw increased spending except for Lana'i, which experienced a 5.9 percent drop in total expenditures.