For Immediate Release: May 26, 2005
DBEDT Release News 05-15

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

HONOLULU - Total expenditures by air visitors to Hawaii rose 2.8 percent to $769.9 million in April 2005, due to increased daily spending per person, according to data released today by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Year-to-date, total air visitor spending rose 9.5 percent to $3.6 billion compared to the first four months of 2004, while total visitor days increased by 8 percent.

"We are encouraged by the continued increase in visitor spending and the strong visitor arrivals for the first quarter of this year," said State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert. She added that the spending increase in April offset a decline in visitor arrivals from the domestic market.

"Easter and spring break occurred in March this year, which boosted domestic arrivals to a record high. Last year, Easter and spring break occurred in April, which skews comparisons year over year. A more relevant way to look at the visitor statistics would be to combine March and April. When you combine March and April 2005, total expenditures by air visitors were over $1.7 billion, exceeding the same two months in 2004 by 11.3 percent. Arrivals from domestic flights, which carried the majority of the Easter and spring break visitors, also surpassed March and April 2004 levels by 4.8 percent," Wienert said.

Hawaii's cruise industry continued to be strong with visitor days increasing 36.5 percent in April 2005 and 48.4 percent year-to-date.

Year-to-Date 2005 preliminary visitor statistics:

Total Air Visitors: Year-to-date, air visitors spent a total of $3.6 billion while in Hawaii, up 9.5 percent from the same period last year with increases from all four major visitor markets (U.S. West, U.S. East, Japan and Canada). For the first four months of 2005, visitor spending on Oahu totaled $1.75 billion, followed by Maui at $935.9 million, the Big Island at $489.3 million and Kauai at $353.3 million.

Contributing to the growth in total visitor expenditures was an 8 percent increase in total visitor days boosted by higher arrivals from both the domestic and international markets. The average length of stay by these visitors was 9.30 days.

Visitor arrivals increased on Oahu (+8.5%), Kauai (+2.3%), Maui (+3%) and the Big Island (+19.3%) compared to the same period last year.

A greater number of visitors came to vacation (+8.9%), honeymoon (+19.3%), visit friends or relatives (+10%) and for meetings, conventions and incentives (+15.2%).

Repeat visitors comprised 63.8 percent of the total visitors to Hawaii versus 63 percent in year-to-date 2004.

• Domestic air visitors: Domestic visitor days increased 8.3 percent as arrivals rose 7.1 percent to 1,649,249 visitors. The average length of stay was 10.09 days up from 9.97 days in year-to-date 2004.

  The number of U.S. visitors, which comprised 92 percent of total domestic arrivals, grew 7.5 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 visitor days were up 7.1 percent because of an 11.7 percent growth in arrivals to 718,955 visitors. The average length of stay was 7.51 days.

• Air visitors from the top four major market areas (MMAs):

  U.S. West: Total spending by U.S. West visitors rose 9.8 percent compared to year-to-date 2004, to $1.18 billion, the highest among the four major visitor markets. The average daily spending was $140 per person. Visitor days for this group rose 8.2 percent, as arrivals grew 7.5 percent to 880,260 visitors. The average length of stay was 9.62 days. More of these visitors came to vacation, visit friends or relatives, and for conventions, corporate meetings and incentives compared to the same period last year.

  U.S. East: Ranked second in total visitors spending was U.S. East visitors at $1.15 billion, which was up 14.3 percent compared to the same period last year. This group of visitors spent an average of $166 per person per day, the second highest among the top four visitor markets. U.S. East visitor days rose 7.8 percent compared to year-to-date 2004. Contributing to the increase was a 6.4 percent growth in arrivals to 660,357 visitors. The average length of stay was 10.53 days. Similar to their U.S. West counterpart, more U.S. East visitors came to vacation, visit friends or relatives and attend corporate meetings.

Japan: Total spending by Japanese visitors exceeded year-to-date 2004 levels by 3.2 percent to $676.4 million. While ranking third in total expenditures, Japanese visitors spent the most on a daily basis at $244 per person. Japanese visitor days rose 7.4 percent, boosted by arrivals, which increased 8.7 percent to 484,462 visitors. The average length of stay by these visitors was 5.73 days. More Japanese visitors came to vacation, honeymoon, for conventions and incentives, and to visit friends and relatives compared to the same period last year.

Canada: Total expenditures and average daily spending by Canadian visitors ranked fourth among the top four major visitor markets at $202.7 million and $126 per person, respectively. Canadian visitor days rose 11 percent due to an 11.3 percent growth in arrivals to 114,894 visitors year-to-date. The average length of stay was 14.02 days.

• Per person per trip expenditures by MMA:

  Year-to-date Canadian visitors spent the most per trip at $1,764 per person, followed by visitors from the U.S. East ($1,743, per person), from All Other markets ($1,497 per person), Japan ($1,396 per person) and the U.S. West ($1,344 per person).

Total cruise visitor days rose 48.4 percent during the first four months of 2005. Contributing to this increase was a 25.2 percent growth in out-of-state visitors to 92,288 passengers, including those who arrived by air to board cruise ships and those who came with the ships. These visitors were aboard two Hawaii-home ported ships, the Norwegian Wind and the Pride of Aloha, as well as 24 out-of-state cruise ships. In year-to-date 2004, there were 27 out-of-state cruise ships and one Hawaii home-ported ship, the Norwegian Star, touring the islands.

Repeat visitors to Hawaii comprised 56.6 percent of the out-of-state cruise visitors, compared to 59.2 percent in year-to-date 2004. These cruise visitors stayed an average of 8.61 days in Hawaii, of which 5.64 days were spent on their cruise and another 2.98 days were spent before and after their cruise.

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