For Immediate Release: February 11, 2004
DBEDT Release News 04-04

Note: The survey data are also posted on-line here.

HONOLULU--The results from a survey of neighbor island visitors released by DBEDT today that measured spending characteristics in 2003 confirms continued strength in the state's visitor industry.

Average daily spending by out-of-state visitors who came by air to Maui and Kauai in 2003 was higher compared to the previous year. Spending by visitors on Molokai and the Big Island were relatively unchanged from the previous year. visitors to Maui spent more compared to those who visited Kauai, Molokai and the Big Island. Daily visitor spending by visitors on Maui (from $161 to $173 per person) and Kauai (from $143 to $147 per person) increased compared to 2002. Daily spending by visitors on the Big Island and Molokai were relatively stable at $141 per person and $83 per person, respectively.

"Maui's continued emphasis on the upscale market has resulted in a substantial increase in visitor spending," said Tourism Liaison, Marsha Wienert. " Maui has been successful in establishing a brand and image that attract higher spending visitors."

Highlights of 2003 Statistics--Out-of-State Visitor to Neighbor Islands.

• First Time/Repeat Visitors: First timers accounted for the majority of the out-of-state visitors surveyed on Molokai, Lanai, Kauai and the Big Island in 2003. In contrast, nearly 56 percent of the respondents on Maui have been to this island before. Maui, Molokai, and the Big Island reported a higher percentage of repeat visitors compared to the previous year.
• Visitors by Major Markets: More than half of the respondents on Maui and Molokai and over 42 percent of the visitors surveyed on Lanai, Kauai and the Big Island were from the U.S. West. Maui, Molokai and the Big Island reported a higher percentage of U.S. West respondents compared to 2002. U.S. East visitors comprised about 30 percent of the visitors surveyed.
• Length of Stay: The average length of stay by respondents who visited Maui, Molokai and the Big Island increased compared to those who visited these islands in the previous year. Visitors surveyed on Molokai in 2003 reported the longest average length of stay at 9.67 days, followed by those who visited Maui (8.93 days), the Big Island (8.13 days), Kauai (7.44 days) and Lanai (5.05 days).
• Purpose of Trip: Kauai hosted the largest percent of those who came to get married or honeymoon, while the Big Island, especially Hilo, had the largest share of out-of-state visitors who came to visit friends or relatives. The Big Island, particularly Kona, showed a larger percentage of visitors who came for conventions/conference and for incentives.
• Single-Island Visitation: Close to 77 percent of the visitors surveyed on Maui and over half of the respondents on Molokai, Kauai and the Big Island stayed exclusively on the island they visited.

  Average Daily Visitor Expenditures

• Lodging: Respondents who stayed on Maui spent more on lodging on a daily basis ($77 per person) than those surveyed on Kauai ($58 per person), the Big Island ($55 per person) and Molokai ($38 per person).
• Food and beverages: Maui visitor spending on food and beverages was $35 per person, Kauai visitors spent $31 per person, Big Island visitors spent $29 per person and Molokai visitors spent $17 per person.

• Daily spending by Hawaii resident visitors in 2003 was the highest on Maui ($101 per person), followed by Kauai ($93 per person), the Big Island ($90 per person) and Molokai ($60 per person).

Notes:

Visitor characteristics data for Lanai were presented but expenditure numbers were not due to the small samples compiled. Data collected were from out-of-state visitors who arrived on each neighbor island by air and did not include those who toured the islands by cruise ships.

Due to the large quantity of data tables, neighbor island visitor characteristics and expenditures by Major Market Areas (MMA) were not included in this press release but can be found on DBEDT website at http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/latest.html.

For more information, contact:
Marsha Wienert, Tourism Liaison
Phone: (808) 586-2362
Email: marsha.wienert@hawaii.gov

Dave Young
Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations, Office of the Governor
Phone: (808) 586-0043
Email: russell.pang@hawaii.gov