For Immediate Release: March 31, 2009
DBEDT News Release 09-08

February 2009 Visitor Expenditures Fell 15.9 Percent.

Note: February 2009 Visitor Research Data can be viewed here.

HONOLULU—Total expenditures by visitors who arrived by air in the first two months of 2009 declined 14.7 percent compared to year-to-date 2008 to $1.8 billion, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

For the month of February 2009, total air visitor expenditures fell 15.9 percent or $161 million, from the same month last year, to $852.5 million. The decrease was due to a 13.4 percent drop in visitor arrivals by air to 513,279 visitors and lower average daily visitor spending ($175 per person, down from $180 per person in February 2008).

Total visitor days for air and cruise visitors in February 2009 were 13.3 percent lower than last February. Total arrivals by air and cruise visitors declined 12.7 percent from February 2008. The average length of stay by these visitors was 9.44 days, compared to 9.51 days last February.

A leap-year day in February 2008 partially contributed to the overall decline in visitors to the state. Real change in visitors was evident by the average daily census which showed 174,263 air visitors present on any given day this February, down 10.5 percent from February 2008.

Among the top four visitor markets, air arrivals from the U.S. West declined 14.9 percent compared to February 2008 while the average daily census fell 10.1 percent. Arrivals by air from the U.S. East decreased 15.8 percent while the average daily census decreased 12.4 percent. Air arrivals from Japan fell 5.5 percent but the average daily census for this market was up 1 percent from the same month last year. Canadian air arrivals were down 6.3 percent while the average daily census declined 7.7 percent.

"Hawai‘i 's visitor industry continued to be impacted by unstable economic conditions worldwide," stated State Tourism Liaison, Marsha Wienert. "February's results were not unexpected and included a ‘leap year effect' of one less day in the month this year compared to February 2008."

"The reduced per person per day spending and the overall decrease in visitor expenditures can be partially attributed to the great value packages being offered. Spending by visitors from the U.S. West and the U.S. East on accommodations decreased and U.S. West visitors also spent less on shopping. Japanese visitor expenditures on shopping, however, increased $9.27 per person per day. We are also pleased that Japanese honeymooners continued to grow, up 6.2 percent in February resulting in a 23.4 percent increase year-to-date."

For the first two months of 2009, total visitor days for air and cruise visitors fell 11.8 percent. Total arrivals by air and cruise dropped 12.6 percent from the same period last year to 1,049,463 visitors.

Year-to-date, arrivals by air totaled 1,025,418 visitors, 12.9 percent lower compared to the same period last year. The average daily spending was $174 per person, down from $179 per person from the first two months of 2008.

• All U.S. mainland regions showed double-digit declines in visitor arrivals in February 2009 compared to the same month last year. Arrivals from the two largest regional markets, Pacific and Mountain decreased 14.9 percent and 16.9 percent, respectively.
• A higher number of U.S. West visitors in February 2009 stayed in timeshare properties (+3%) compared to the same month last year. In contrast, fewer U.S. East visitors stayed in timeshare properties compared to last February (-3.9%). However, for the first two months of 2009, more U.S. West (+1.8%) and U.S. East visitors (+2.8%) stayed in timeshare properties than in year-to-date 2008.
• There were more repeat visitors from the U.S. West in February 2009 (83.7%), compared to the same month last year (82.1%). The average length of stay by all U.S. West visitors increased to 9.64 days from 9.45 days in February 2008.
• The percentage of repeat visitors from the U.S. East in February 2009 (62.6%), were also higher compared to last February (61%). The average length of stay by U.S. East visitors this month was 10.56 days, similar to those who came last February.
• Daily spending by Japanese visitors averaged $301 per person, similar to February 2008. Expenditures by Japanese visitors in February 2009 totaled $159.2 million, 2.5 percent lower compared to the same month last year.
• Japanese honeymooners rose 6.2 percent from February 2008 to 17,437 visitors. For the first two months of 2009, 33,724 Japanese visitors came to honeymoon in the islands, up 23.4 percent from year-to-date 2008.
• There were also more repeat visitors from Japan in February 2009 compared to last February (53.1% versus 49.9%). Japanese visitors' length of stay rose to 5.69 days, from 5.52 days in February 2008.
• Fewer Canadian visitors visited multiple islands in February 2009 (-23%). More Canadians during the month stayed only on O‘ahu (+3.2%), only on Kaua‘i (+5.7%) or only on Hawai‘i island (+34.3%) compared to last February. For the first two months of 2009 more Canadians stayed on O‘ahu only (+15.9%), Hawai‘i Island only (+12.1%) or Kaua‘i only (+1.5%) compared to year-to-date 2008.
• A higher number of Canadian visitors who came this February stayed exclusively in hotels (+5.3%) compared to February 2008. More Canadians also stayed exclusively in timeshare properties (+14.4%) compared to last February. Year-to-date, Canadian visitors who stayed in hotels only rose 7.8 percent while those who stayed only in timeshare properties grew 21.4 percent compared to the first two months of 2008.
• There were slightly fewer repeat visitors from Canada in February (64.6%) compared to the same month last year (65.2%). Canadian visitors' stay in February 2009 was shorter at 13.07 days, compared to 13.74 days last February.

• The loss of one Hawai‘i home ported cruise ship in May 2008 impacted the February 2009 statistics when compared to the same month last year. In particular on Kaua‘i 37.5 percent of the losses in arrivals (-19.8%) was attributable to fewer domestic cruise ship visitors. Similarly, 29.9 percent of Hawai‘i Island, 15.5 percent of Maui's and 14.7 percent of O‘ahu's decline in arrivals were due to decreased cruise visitor counts.
• All islands reported lower visitor expenditures this month compared to February 2008. Even though arrivals dropped 12.5 percent, total visitor expenditures on O‘ahu declined only 6.1 percent to $420.1 million, due to higher daily spending (+4.5% to $188 per person), by those who came in February 2009. Total expenditures on Maui decreased 26.1 percent to $228.3 million; total visitor spending on Hawai‘i Island decreased 21.8 percent to $110.3 million; while total visitor spending on Kaua‘i fell 18.1 percent to $84.3 million.

• O‘ahu experienced less of a decline in visitor days from Japan (-.4%) compared to Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i Island.
• Among the major Hawaiian islands, Maui experienced the largest decline in total visitor arrivals from the U.S. West and Japan. Kaua‘i experienced the largest decrease from Canada while Hawai‘i Island experienced the largest decrease in arrivals from the U.S. East.
• Total air seats to Hawai‘i declined in February 2009, down 19.9 compared to last February. The majority of the decrease were seats from the U.S. East (-33.2%), Canada (-24.7%), U.S. West (-21%), and Japan (-11.1%).

• For the first two months of 2009 Kaua‘i saw the largest declines in arrivals from the U.S. West (-19.6%) and Canada (-32%). Maui experienced the largest drop in Japanese arrivals (-33%) while Hawai‘i Island saw the biggest decrease in U.S. East arrivals (-26.7%).

• There were 3,861 fewer U.S. East visitors and 1,151 fewer Canadian visitors who either arrived by air to board cruise ship, or came by out-of-state cruise ships to Hawai‘i during the month compared to February 2008. This was partially offset by 1,844 more U.S. West visitors who either came by air to board cruise ship or by out of state cruise ships during the month.
• In February 2009 a total of 22,116 cruise visitors came by air to board a cruise ship or arrived by cruise ship, compared to February 2008 when a total of 25,635 visitors came by air to board cruise ships or came by cruise ships to Hawai‘i. The average length of stay by all cruise visitors during the month was 8.46 days.
• The decline in cruise visitors for February 2009 largely resulted from the departure of the Pride of Aloha (in mid-May 2008). The Pride of Hawai‘i which last sail was on January 28, 2008 does not affect this February 2009 statistics.
• Seven out-of-state cruise ships came to the islands in February 2009 with 13,943 visitors. These seven ships carried more visitors than the eight ships which brought 10,800 visitors in February 2008 (+29.1%).
• For the first two months of 2009, a total of 41,438 visitors came by cruise ship or by air to board cruise ships, 34.6 percent lower compared to the same period last year. Visitor days for all cruise visitors decreased 37.2 percent.
• Year-to-date, 24,045 visitors came by cruise ships, up 2.2 percent, while total visitor days for those who came by cruise ships increased 1.6 percent (See "Arrivals at a Glance" Table on page 2).

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

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