For Immediate Release: April 27, 2004
DBEDT Release News 04-12

Note: March 2004 Visitor Research Data can be viewed here.

HONOLULU--Hawaii's visitor industry continues to strengthen, fueled by increases in both domestic and international visitors. Total visitor arrivals who came by air to the State rose by 6.5 percent in March 2004, compared to the same month last year, according to data released by the Department of Business, Economic Development and tourism (DBEDT) today.

Domestic arrivals for the month were the best March on record with more than 410,000 visitor arrivals. The total visitor growth was bolstered by an 11.2 percent increase in Japanese visitors, which make up 69 percent of international arrivals.

"We are very pleased to see the continued strong growth in our domestic market and encouraged to see the continuous improvement in the Japanese arrivals, said State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert. "It is clear that the stronger yen and improved economic conditions in Japan will result in more Japanese arrivals to Hawaii in future months."

"Additionally, we are extremely pleased to report that there were more visitors in Hawaii for meetings, conventions and incentives compared to last March," Wienert added. Contributing to the growth was the Coors Brewing Company Convention with about 2,100 out-of-state attendees and the International Association for Dental Research Convention, a gathering of nearly 6,000 dental scientists, educators, students and dentists from around the world.

Total visitor days numbered 5.2 million in March 2004, while the average length of stay by these visitors was 8.98 days.

Year-to-Date 2004 Visitor Statistics are presented below:

• Total air visitors: A total of 1,619,589 visitors came to Hawaii, an increase of 3.8 percent from year-to-date 2003. Total visitor days numbered 15.5 million, with an average length of stay of 9.55 days.
• Domestic air visitors: Domestic arrivals rose 6.8 percent to 1,118,985 visitors. The average length of stay was 10.27 days. Arrivals from the U.S. market, which comprised 91.4 percent of all domestic visitors, increased 6.9 percent.
• International air visitors: Arrivals from the international market totaled 500,604 visitors, 2.3 percent lower compared to year-to-date 2003. Those who came during this period stayed an average of 7.95 days.
• Total repeat/first-time visitors: Repeat visitors accounted for 63.2 percent of the total visitors to Hawaii compared to 63.4 percent in the same period last year.
• Arrivals by Island: Fewer visitors went to multiple islands during the first three months of 2004. Single-island visitation increased on Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and the Big Island.

• Purpose of trip: More visitors came for meetings, conventions and incentives (+9.1%), to visit friends or relatives (+11.9%), for other business (+10.6%) and to attend sports events (+7.0%) compared to year-to-date 2003.
• Air visitors from the top four major market areas (MMAs):

  U.S. West: Arrivals from the U.S. West increased 5.7 percent to 568,433 visitors. A greater number of these visitors came to honeymoon, get married, visit friends or relatives, for vacation and for MCI purposes compared to the same period last year.

U.S. East: A total of 476,903 U.S. East visitors came to the islands, 7.6 percent higher compared to year-to-date 2003. Similar to their U.S. West counterpart, more U.S. East visitors came to honeymoon, vacation, visit friends or relatives and for MCI purposes.

Japan: The state hosted a total of 341,040 Japanese visitors during the first three months of 2004. Repeat visitors accounted for 53.5 percent of the total, up from 53.0 percent for the same period last year.

Canada: A total of 90,734 Canadian visitors came to the islands, down 4.5 percent compared to year-to-date 2003.

• Cruise visitors: There were a total of 22 cruise ship arrivals year-to-date, carrying 50,349 out-of-state visitors, including those who arrived by air to board these ships and those who came with the ships.

  60 percent of the out-of-state cruise visitors were repeat visitors to the islands, compared to 59.2 percent in the same period last year. These cruise visitors stayed an average of 7.2 days in Hawaii, of which 4.40 days were spent on their cruise and another 2.80 days were spent before and after their cruise.

Preliminary March 2004 visitor expenditures data:

• Total visitor expenditures: Total expenditures by visitors who came by air in March 2004 were $797.8 million. Total spending by U.S. East visitors was the highest at $253.0 million, followed by visitors from the U.S. West at $247.1 million, Japan at $164.5 million and Canada at $44.5 million.

  By island, visitor spending on Oahu totaled $376.5 million. Spending by visitors on Maui was second at $250.9 million, followed by visitor spending on Kauai ($82.4 million), the Big Island ($79.0 million), Lanai ($6.7 million) and Molokai ($2.2 million).

  Year-to-date, air visitors spent a total of $2.5 billion while in Hawaii. U.S. East visitors spent $797.6 million, followed by visitors from the U.S. West ($775.7 million), Japan ($497.2 million) and Canada ($161.3 million). Visitors from All Other MMAs spent $239.2 million so far this year.

  For the first three months of 2004, visitor spending on Oahu totaled $1.2 billion. Visitor spending on Maui was $717.5 million, followed by the Big Island at $292.4 million, Kauai at $262.8 million, Lanai at $16.2 million and Molokai at $6.9 million.

• Per person per day expenditures: Japanese visitors continued to spend the most on a daily basis at $239 per person in March 2004, followed by those from All Other markets ($165 per person), from the U.S. East ($151 per person), from the U.S. West ($130 per person), and from Canada ($119 per person).

  The average daily spending by Japanese visitors was $252 per person during the first three months of 2004. Daily spending by visitors from All Other markets ($157 per person) and from the U.S. East ($157 per person) were the next highest, followed by visitors from the U.S. West ($139 per person) and from Canada ($125 per person).

• Per person per trip expenditures: Visitors from All Other markets spent the most per trip at $1,818 per person in March 2004, followed by those from Canada at $1,639 per person, from Japan at $1,437 per person, from the U.S. East at $1,426 per person and from the U.S. West at $1,187 per person.

  Year-to-date Canadian visitors spent $1,778 per person per trip, followed by visitors from All Other markets ($1,679 per person), from the U.S. East ($1,673 per person), Japan ($1,458 per person) and the U.S. West ($1,365 per person).

Technical Note: In an effort to improve the accuracy and timeliness of its visitor research data, DBEDT has implemented a new methodology for processing information. Monthly data on visitor expenditures are now released in the same month as DBEDT's basic series figures and are available statewide and by island. In addition, DBEDT is revising the "average length of stay" calculations for 2003 to reflect usage of the new in-flight survey form. The survey, developed to collect data from visitors arriving on domestic flights, now uses Teleform, an image scanning software with handwriting recognition ability. The new survey format allows visitors to report their exact length of stay, instead of the range of days recorded by the old fill-in bubble format. While DBEDT is in the process of revising the previous year's data, we will not present monthly comparisons of 2004 length of stay, visitor days, average daily census and visitor expenditures statistics with results from the previous year.

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