For Immediate Release: March 28, 2005
DBEDT Release News 05-09

Note: February 2005 Visitor Research Data can be viewed here.

Visitor Spending Continues to Increase

HONOLULU--Total visitor days rose 5.5 percent in February 2005 compared to the same month last year, thanks to a 6.8 percent increase in arrivals by air representing 573,212 visitors, according to data released today by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

The growth in total arrivals was led by the domestic visitor market, which rose 8.7 percent to a new record for the month of February of 403,552 visitors. International arrivals also surpassed last February's results by 2.7 percent with increases from Japan and Canada, Hawaii's two largest foreign markets.

Total expenditures by air visitors exceeded February 2004 by 4.1 percent to $864.2 million.

Additionally, the number of cruise passengers touring the islands jumped 19.6 percent compared to the same month last year.

"We continue to be encouraged by the strong performance of Hawaii's visitor industry," said State Tourism Liaison, Marsha Wienert. "Visitor arrivals exceeded all expectations. U.S. East arrivals increased 11.4% and U.S. West arrivals increased 6.5% compared to February 2004. When you combine that with an increase of 5.7% in Japanese arrivals, February was an outstanding month for the visitor industry."

"Also contributing to the record growth in domestic arrivals was the 2005 NFL Pro Bowl, which attracted about 25,400 visitors, up from the 22,000 visitors who came to attend the 2004 game," continued Wienert.

Year-to-Date 2005 preliminary visitor statistics are presented below:

• Total air visitors: Strong growth in total arrivals (+11.3%) contributed to a 9.9 percent increase in total visitor days. The average length of stay by these visitors was 9.75 days.
  
• Domestic air visitors: Domestic arrivals rose 9.7 percent to 788,659 visitors, a new record for the first two months of the year. The average length of stay was relatively unchanged at 10.85 days. The number of U.S. visitors, which comprised 91.5 percent of total domestic arrivals, grew 10.6 percent compared to the same period last year with increases from all U.S. regions. Total domestic arrivals include U.S. residents and international visitors who came to Hawaii on domestic flights.
  
• International air visitors: International arrivals grew 14.8 percent to 384,510 visitors and contributed to a 9.8 percent increase in international visitor days. The average length of stay was 7.51 days.
  
• Total repeat/first-time visitors: Repeat visitors comprised 64.9 percent of the total visitors to Hawaii versus 64 percent in year-to-date 2004.

• Arrivals by Island: Visitor arrivals increased on Oahu (+10.4%), Kauai (+3%), Maui (+6.4%) and the Big Island (+26.3%) compared to the same period last year.

• Purpose of trip: A greater number of visitors came to vacation (+11.3%), honeymoon (+16.7%), visit friends or relatives (+11.6%) and for meetings, conventions and incentives (+23.9%).
  
• Air visitors from the top four major market areas (MMAs):

  U.S. West: U.S. West visitor days jumped 11 percent, due to a 10.2 percent growth in arrivals to 400,913 visitors. The average length of stay was 10.31 days. More of these visitors came to vacation, visit friends or relatives, attend corporate meetings and for incentives compared to the same period last year.

  U.S. East: U.S. East visitor days rose 8.1 percent compared to year-to-date 2004. Contributing to the increase was an 8.9 percent growth in arrivals to 332,680 visitors. The average length of stay was 11.32 days. Similar to their U.S. West counterpart, more U.S. East visitors came to vacation, visit friends or relatives, attend corporate meetings and for incentive travels.

Japan: Japanese visitor days grew 11 percent as total arrivals climbed 12.3 percent to 254,306 visitors year-to-date. The average length of stay by these visitors was 5.61 days. More Japanese visitors came to vacation, honeymoon, for meetings, conventions and incentives, and to visit friends and relatives compared to the same period last year.

Canada: Canadian visitor days were 6.3 percent lower compared to year-to date 2004. Canadian arrivals totaled 61,798 visitors for the first two months of the year. The average length of stay was 14.04 days.

A total of 42,634 out-of-state visitors, including those who arrived by air to board cruise ships and those who came with the ships, toured the islands so far this year. These visitors were passengers of two Hawaii-home ported ships, the Norwegian Wind and the Pride of Aloha, as well as twelve out-of-state cruise ships. The number of visitors surged 32.5 percent compared to year-to-date 2004 when thirteen out-of-state cruise ships and one Hawaii home-ported ship, the Norwegian Star, carried 32,172 out-of-state visitors around the islands.

Repeat visitors to Hawaii comprised 59.6 percent of the out-of-state cruise visitors, compared to 50.1 percent in year-to-date 2004. These cruise visitors stayed an average of 8.54 days in Hawaii, of which 5.65 days were spent on their cruise and another 2.89 days were spent before and after their cruise.

• Total visitor expenditures: Total expenditures by visitors who came by air in February 2005 rose 4.1 percent to $864.2 million. Total spending by U.S. East visitors was the highest at $296.3 million (+15.8%), followed by visitors from the U.S. West at $280 million (+0.4%), Japan at $169.9 million (-1.2%) and Canada at $61.3 million (+9.3%).

  By island, visitor spending on Oahu totaled $418.5 million. Spending by visitors on Maui was second at $235.8 million, followed by visitor spending on the Big Island ($116.7 million) and Kauai ($86.6 million).

  Year-to-date, air visitors spent a total of $1.8 billion while in Hawaii. U.S. East visitors spent $611.8 million, followed by visitors from the U.S. West ($573.6 million), Japan ($351.7 million), Canada ($108.8 million) and visitors from All Other MMAs ($179 million).

  For the first two months of 2005, visitor spending on Oahu totaled $896.8 million. Visitor spending on Maui was $476.5 million, followed by the Big Island at $260 million and Kauai at $177.8 million.
  

• Per person per day expenditures: Japanese visitors continued to spend the most on a daily basis at $250 per person in February 2005, followed by those from the U.S. East ($163 per person), from All Other markets ($144 per person), from the U.S. West ($143 per person) and from Canada ($131 per person).

  The average daily spending by Japanese visitors was $247 per person during the first two months of 2005. Daily spending by U.S. East visitors year-to-date was the next highest ($162), followed by visitors from All Other markets ($143 per person), from the U.S. West ($139 per person) and from Canada ($125 per person).

  Per person per trip expenditures: Canadian visitors spent the most per trip at $1,827 per person in February 2005, followed by those from the U.S. East at $1,734 per person, from All Other markets at $1,397 per person, from Japan at $1,387 per person and from the U.S. West at $1,361 per person.

  Year-to-date U.S. East visitors spent $1,839 per person per trip, followed by visitors from Canada ($1,760, per person), from All Other markets ($1,450 per person), the U.S. West ($1,431 per person) and Japan ($1,382 per person).

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