The Big Island — specifically, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — saw a boom in visitor numbers in May as people flocked to catch a glimpse of Madame Pele in action.
Arrivals to the island spiked 9.3 percent to 115,640 visitors, up from 105,816 in May 2014, according to Hawaii Tourism Authority figures.
Those that came, however, spent less.
Daily spending decreased 7.2 percent to $171 per person, resulting in little change in total visitor expenditures, down 0.2 percent to $132.5 million.
In late April, during National Park Week, the lava lake inside Kilauea caldera suddenly began to rise, eventually spilling out onto the caldera floor and reaching its highest level since the summit eruption began in 2008. For the first time, visitors could view the lake’s violent and mesmerizing surface from Jaggar Museum.
And they came in waves, some forced to wait in a line of traffic just to park.
Jessica Ferracane, a park spokeswoman, said the surge in visitors over the 19-day event was “huge,” causing park officials to ramp up parking efforts.
“This recent activity was certainly the busiest I’ve seen the park in the time I’ve been here,” she said, adding she’s worked there since 2011.
In April, 140,357 people (4,679 per day) visited the national park, a 10.36 percent increase from April 2014.
The following month, Ferracane said numbers “really soared.” A total of 169,435 people (5,466 per day) visited; a 37.01 percent increase over the 123,662 that visited in May 2014.
And more people meant more money.
Ferracane said visitors to the park between April 21 and May 14 — the time frame of the rise and overflow of the lava lake, plus another few days — generated $294,592 in entrance fees. By comparison, the park collected $287,727 in recreational entrance fees for the entire month of April, and $337,395 for May.
“So the rise in lava correlated to a rise in fees collected, which is a positive for park visitors,” she said.
Projects funded by entrance fees include ongoing trail maintenance, cabin repairs, hiking pamphlets, restrooms, picnic tables and ecosystem protection.
In mid-May, the park hosted its two-day BioBlitz festival, which Ferracane said also drew large crowds.
In addition to visible volcanic activity at Kilauea’s summit, HTA said a 40.2 percent increase in direct airfare seats to Kona contributed to the higher visitor numbers. A total of 10,410 visitors came to the island for one day or less — a 12.6 percent increase over a year prior, which was boosted by a 33.7 percent growth from the U.S. West.
Ross Birch, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau, said it was nice to see numbers improve over a “soft” May 2014. He attributes the increase in one-day visitors, he said, to the volcano.
“Any time that we have a surge in specific activity at the volcano … it’s much easier for us to get the day-trippers,” he said.
After overflowing the vent rim several times between April 28 and May 8, the lava lake began to drop on May 9. Since then, the level has fluctuated — rising with summit inflation and dropping with summit deflation — varying between about 130 and 240 feet below the new vent rim, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Part of the rim and wall of the crater vent collapsed into the lava lake Wednesday afternoon, sending an ashy plume into the air and triggering intense spattering. The lake remained at about 155 feet below the crater rim, according to scientists.
For updated information, visit hvo.wr.usgs.gov.
Email Chris D’Angelo at cdangelo@hawaiitribune-herald.com.