For Immediate Release: April 28, 2009
DBEDT Release News 09-11

March 2009 Visitor Expenditures Declined 24.4 Percent

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

HONOLULU—Total expenditures by visitors who arrived by air in the first quarter of 2009 fell 17.9 percent compared to the first three months of 2008 to $2.6 billion, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

For the month of March 2009, total air visitor spending decreased 24.4 percent or $258.4 million, from the same month last year, to $800.1 million. The decline resulted from a 17.2 percent drop in visitor arrivals by air to 541,714 visitors and lower average daily visitor spending ($163 per person, down from $180 per person in March 2008).

Total visitor days for air and cruise visitors in March 2009 were down 17.1 percent from March a year ago. Total arrivals by air and cruise visitors fell 16.6 percent from March 2008. The average length of stay by these visitors was 9.04 days, similar to 9 days last March.

Among the top four visitor markets, air arrivals from the U.S. West fell 22.7 percent while arrivals by air from the U.S. East decreased 20 percent compared to March 2008. Air arrivals from Japan rose slightly by 0.6 percent, the first increase since May 2008 (+0.3%). Canadian air arrivals were down 3.8 percent from the same month last year.

"March visitor statistics continue to reflect the impact global economic conditions are having on our economy," stated State Tourism Liaison, Marsha Wienert. "It's important to keep in perspective that part of the decline in visitor arrivals this past March can be attributed to the fact that spring break and the Easter holiday which were largely in March last year, shifted to April this year.

"It's encouraging that for the first time in almost a year, Japanese arrivals showed growth partially because of the strength of the yen and the success of this year's Honolulu Festival."

"Another bright spot is the continuing growth in the number of Japanese honeymooners to the islands, which was up 22 percent in March and 23 percent for the first quarter of this year. Also, the number of Japanese visitors who came here to get married rose 11 percent in March," added Wienert.

For the first quarter of 2009, total visitor days for air and cruise visitors decreased 13.6 percent. Total arrivals by air and cruise declined 14 percent from the same period last year to 1,605,365 visitors.

Year-to-date, arrivals by air totaled 1,567,132 visitors, down 14.4 percent compared to the same period last year. The average daily spending was $170 per person, down from $179 per person from first quarter 2008.

• Visitor arrivals from all U.S. mainland regions were lower in March 2009 compared to the same month last year. Arrivals from Pacific, the largest regional market, fell 25.1 percent, largely due to a 36.1 percent decline in visitors from California , and to a lesser extent from decreases in arrivals from Washington (-3.4%) and Oregon (-3.2%). A shift in Spring Break and Easter Holiday schedules from mid March in 2008 to April in 2009 contributed to the large drop in arrivals from this state.
• There were slightly more repeat visitors from the U.S. West in March 2009 (80.8%), compared to the same month last year (80.3%). The average length of stay by all U.S. West visitors increased to 9.20 days from 9.04 days in March 2008.
• More U.S. East visitors came to honeymoon (+1.5%) in the islands this March compared to the same month last year.
• The percentage of repeat visitors from the U.S. East in March 2009 (59.9%), were also higher compared to last March (58.2%). The average length of stay by U.S. East visitors this month was 9.67 days, similar to those who came last March.
• Despite the growth in Japanese arrivals, their daily spending was lower in March 2009 compared to the same month last year ($268 per person, down from to $287 in March 2008). This resulted in a 3.4 percent decrease in total spending by Japanese visitors to $160.3 million.
• More Japanese visitors in March 2009 stayed in condominium (+13.5%) and timeshare (+80.3%) properties while fewer stayed in hotels (-2.3%).
• Japanese honeymooners jumped 22 percent from March 2008 to 15,908 visitors. Those who came to get married also rose 11 percent to 4,268 visitors. For the first quarter of 2009, 49,632 Japanese visitors came to honeymoon in the islands, up 23 percent from year-to-date 2008.
• O‘ahu (+0.3%), Hawai‘i Island (+3.5%), Kaua‘i (+0.4%) and Lanai (+17.3%) saw increases in Japanese arrivals compared to March 2008.
• There were also more repeat visitors from Japan in March 2009 compared to last March (56% versus 55.2%). Japanese visitors' length of stay rose to 5.84 days, from 5.67 days in March 2008. Visitors who skipped O‘ahu and only went to a neighbor island increased 14.9 percent from March 2008.
• More Canadians in March 2009 visited Hawai‘i island (+22.2%) and Kaua‘i (+10.2%) compared to last March.
• Fewer Canadian visitors in the first quarter of 2009 went to multiple islands during their stay (-24.2%). More Canadians stayed on O‘ahu only (+6.5%), Hawai‘i Island only (+27.5%) or Kaua‘i only (+4.7%) compared to year-to-date 2008.
• A higher number of Canadian visitors who came this March stayed in hotels (+4%) and timeshare properties (+24.2%) while fewer stayed in condominiums (-12.9%) compared to March 2008. Year-to-date, Canadian visitors who stayed in timeshare properties grew 22.5 percent compared to first quarter 2008.
• The number of Canadian visitors who came for meetings, conventions and incentives during the month jumped 76.2 percent compared to last March.
• There were slightly fewer repeat visitors from Canada in March (67.2%) compared to the same month last year (67.4%). Canadian visitors' stay in March 2009 was shorter at 12.85 days, compared to 13.02 days last March.

• The loss of one Hawai‘i home-ported cruise ship in May 2008 impacted the March 2009 statistics when compared to the same month last year. In particular on Hawai‘i Island were 39.3 percent of the losses in arrivals (-17.7%) was attributable to fewer domestic cruise ship visitors. Similarly, 37.5 percent of Kaua‘i's, 16.4 percent of Maui's and 14.2 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 March 2008. Total visitor expenditures on O‘ahu declined 20.2 percent to $376.7 million. Total expenditures on Maui decreased 29.8 percent to $228.2 million; total visitor spending on Hawai‘i Island decreased 21.9 percent to $105.5 million; while total visitor spending on Kaua‘i fell 26.8 percent to $80.8 million.

• Among the major Hawaiian Islands, Maui experienced the largest decline in visitor days from the U.S. West and the U.S. East compared to March 2008.
• Due to a longer average length of stay and growth in Japanese arrivals, Japanese visitor days increased on Hawai‘i Island (+18.1%).
• Canadian visitors days and visitor arrivals rose by double digit for Hawai‘i Island and Kaua‘i in March 2009.

• For the first quarter of 2009 Maui experienced the largest declines in arrivals from the U.S. West (-22.9%) and Japan (-27.2%). Kaua‘i experienced the largest drop in Canadian arrivals (-22%) while Hawai‘i Island saw the biggest decrease in U.S. East arrivals (-27.4%).
• Total air seats to Hawai‘i declined in March 2009, down 16.8 compared to last March. The majority of the decrease were seats from Canada (-24%), the U.S. East (-23.1%), the U.S. West (-19.5%), and Japan (-6.9%).
• For the first quarter of 2009, total air seats to Hawai‘i decreased 18 percent due to declines in seats from the U.S. East (-26.9%), Canada (-23%), the U.S. West (-19.4%) and Japan (-9%).

March 2009 Cruise Ship Visitors

• There were 2,862 fewer U.S. West, 4,573 fewer U.S. East, 1,016 fewer Canadian and 535 fewer European 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 March 2008.
• In March 2009 a total of 22,600 cruise visitors came by air to board a cruise ship or arrived by cruise ship, compared to last March when a total of 31,685 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 9.30 days.
• The decline in cruise visitors for March 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 did not affect statistics for the month of March 2009; but did impact first quarter 2009 results when compared to first quarter 2008.
• Nine out-of-state cruise ships came to the islands in March 2009 with 14,188 visitors. These nine ships carried more visitors than the seven ships which brought 12,315 visitors in March 2008 (+15.2%). The departure of two Hawai‘i home-ported ships have opened up port capacity for more out-of-state cruise ships to enter the islands. In April there will be 8 out-of-state cruise ships compared to April 2008 with 5 out-of-state cruise ships.
• For the first quarter of 2009, a total of 64,038 visitors came by cruise ship or by air to board cruise ships, 32.6 percent lower compared to the same period last year. Visitor days for all cruise visitors decreased 36.4 percent.
• Year-to-date, 38,233 visitors came by cruise ships, up 6.7 percent, while total visitor days for those who came by cruise ships decreased 12.9 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