Hawaii's tourism economy is on pace for a record-breaking year with a total of $12.9 billion in visitor expenditures through November, according to Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO Mike McCartney.

Visitor expenditure numbers through November was $2.1 billion more than the same period last year.

For the first 11 months of 2012, visitors spent $16 more per day than in 2011.

McCartney says, at the current pace, the tourism industry could reach the Hawaii Tourism Authority's target of 7.89 million visitors and $13.9 billion in expenditures this year, and possibly exceed those targets.

"We are optimistic as we look to the coming year, with the greatest potential from our international markets," said McCartney.  "There has been tremendous growth from the Asia and Oceania regions, as a result of numerous new flights and increases in flight frequency in 2012 with more expected in 2013."

Total expenditures by visitors who came to Hawaii in November 2012 grew 22.7 percent, or $208 million, compared to last November to $1.1 billion, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Contributing to the increase was a 14.5 percent growth in total arrivals to 651,158 visitors and higher average daily spending, an increase of 10.2 percent to $195 per person.

Among Hawaii's top visitor markets in November 2012, arrivals by air from U.S. West rose 13.8 percent to 274,674 visitors and total U.S. West visitor expenditures increased 20.3 percent to $394.2 million.  U.S. East arrivals grew 6.1 percent to 116,531 visitors in November 2012 while total visitor spending was up 18.2 percent to $233.7 million for this market.

In November 2012, Japanese arrivals climbed 21.6 percent to 122,084 visitors. Higher daily spending, an increase of 2.7 percent to $329 per person, also contributed to a 23.7 percent growth in total expenditures to $227.3 million.

Canadian arrivals increased 9 percent to 43,611 visitors in November 2012 and total Canadian visitor expenditures were 21.3 percent higher compared to last November at $88.1 million.