For Immediate Release: February 19, 2004
DBEDT Release News 04-05

HONOLULU--Visitor days by out-of-state cruise visitors rose 2.3 percent in 2003 compared to the previous year, according to data released today by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

A total of 230,495 visitors came to Hawaii by air to board cruise ships or came on cruise ships to tour the islands in 2003. These visitors sailed aboard 47 Hawaii-home-ported and out-of-state cruise ships, which made 125 tours around the state.

Visiting cruise ship passengers also stayed longer at 7.30 days, and daily visitor spending rose from $99 per person to $101 per person in 2003

"We're pleased that out-of-state cruise visitors are staying longer in the islands and that their average daily spending last year increased," said Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert. "The cruise industry continues to remain strong for Hawaii, and we're particularly pleased that the benefits are spread throughout the state," Wienert added, noting that at least 90 percent of all cruise ship passengers visited Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island in 2003.

Cruise visitors in 2003 accounted for 3.6 percent of the state's total visitors. More than 65 percent of the cruise visitors also stayed in hotels, 5.0 percent stayed in condominiums and 4.2 percent stayed in timeshare properties before or after their cruise.

• Point of Origin: Of the 230,495 out-of-state visitors aboard cruise ships in the islands, nearly 55 percent were from the U.S. East. The second largest group of cruise visitors was from the U.S. West, followed by those from Canada, Europe and All Other markets.

• Island Visitation: The cruise routes took these visitors to most of the neighbor islands. All visited Oahu, 92.3 percent visited Maui, 91.1 percent visited the Big Island and 90.3 percent visited Kauai in 2003. Though the ships did not make port calls on Molokai and Lanai, some visitors also visited these two islands before or after their cruise.

• First Time/Repeat Visitors: Close to 58 percent of the cruise visitors have been to the islands before compared to 59.7 percent in 2002. Repeat visitors comprised the majority of the visitors from the U.S. West and Canada. In contrast there were more first time visitors from Europe and the U.S. East than repeat visitors.

• Total Length of Stay: The average length of stay spent aboard a ship touring the islands was 4.51 days, in addition to the 1.10 days spent on shore after the cruise was over. Visitors who arrived in Hawaii by air stayed an average of 1.61 days in Hawaii before their cruise.
• Length of Stay by Major Markets: Visitors from U.S. West, U.S. East and Europe who cruised the islands in 2003 stayed longer than those who came in the previous year.

  Of the four major market areas, European visitors stayed the longest at 8.23 total days, followed by Canadian visitors, U.S. West visitors, and U.S. East visitors.

• Total Average Daily Cruise Visitor Expenditures: The average daily spending by out-of-state cruise visitors while on shore in Hawaii increased to $101 per person. This amount is comprised of tour costs and other on-land expenditures such as lodging, food and beverages, entertainment, shopping, transportation and souvenirs.
• Daily Cruise Visitor Spending by Major Markets: Visitors from the U.S. East, Canada, and Europe spent more compared to those who came in 2002. The average daily spending by those from the U.S. East was the highest at $108 per person, followed by visitors from Europe ($104 per person), Canada ($98 per person), and the U.S. West ($87 per person).

  U.S. East, U.S. West and Canadian cruise visitors spent more on shore tours than on shopping and food and beverages in 2003. In contrast, European cruise visitors surveyed spent a higher proportion of their daily expenditure on shopping than on shore tours and food and beverages.

Technical Note: Due to their small sample size, separate cruise visitor characteristics and expenditure data for other markets were combined in the Other market category.

A total of 5,654 Hawaii residents boarded cruise ships touring the islands in 2003, 20.6 percent fewer than the previous year.

The average length of cruise by Hawaii residents was 4.08 days. The majority (74.3%) of the residents cruise the islands for leisure, 19.9 percent visited friends or relatives, 3.3 percent played golf, 3.2 percent were on business and 1.5 percent was on their honeymoon.

Resident cruise passengers' daily spending was $51 per person in 2003, about half the total spent by out-of-state cruise visitors. Of this amount, $14 per person per day was spent on shore tours, $12 per person on shopping and $6 per person on food and beverage.

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