HONOLULU (KHON2) — Runners and walkers from across the globe are getting ready for the 52nd annual Honolulu Marathon. Tourism officials are excited the event is helping to ensure Hawaii’s visitor numbers grow.
The Honolulu Marathon is the fourth largest marathon in the United States after New York, Chicago and Boston, according to event organizers. Runners will compete for the $25,000 grand prize.
The Honolulu Marathon is expecting one of its greatest turnouts yet with more than 35,000 participants. According to James Barahal, Honolulu Marathon CEO, the event already has over 10,000 entries from Japan and the mainland and more than 13,000 local entries.
“It’s a huge event, the largest Honolulu Marathon weekend ever,” stated Barahal.
According to the State, the Honolulu Marathon is one of the most popular events generating more than $100 million each year. Tourism officials hope it will help bring back Japanese tourists.
“We have the Ironman, we have the Sony Open, but the Honolulu Marathon is the largest in terms of participants, especially among the Japanese, because it’s about 50% of them,” said Eugene Tian, State Chief Economist.
While Hawaii projects a full recovery of Japanese tourists by 2027, events like the Honolulu Marathon continue bringing in tourists from around the world.
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“If it’s your first marathon, it’s going to be an amazing experience. Something that you’ve never done. If you’ve run a number of marathons, then you know that every marathon is different. We appreciate you and we’ll be waiting for you at the finish line on Sunday,” said Barahal.