For Immediate Release: May 27, 2009
DBEDT News Release 09-14

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

HONOLULU—Total air visitor spending for the month of April 2009, fell 12.3 percent or $108.1 million, from April 2008, to $773.4 million according to preliminary statistics released today by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

The decrease resulted from lower average daily visitor spending ($160 per person, down from $186 per person in April 2008) and a 1.5 percent drop in visitor arrivals by air to 530,316 visitors.

Total visitor days for air and cruise visitors in April 2009 grew 1.8 percent from last April, thanks to a longer average length of stay by these visitors (9.13 days, compared to 8.85 days in the same month last year). Total arrivals by air and cruise visitors dipped 1.3 percent from April 2008.

Among the top four visitor markets, April 2009 air arrivals from the U.S. West declined 1.6 percent; while air arrivals from the U.S. East fell 6.5 percent from last April. Arrivals by air from Japan rose 8.8 percent, the largest increase since March 2005 (+11.6%). Arrivals by air from Canada were up 6.9 percent, the first increase since October 2008 (+7.6%).

"Beginning this month (April), statistical comparisons between 2009 and 2008 will better reflect the health of the visitor industry in Hawai‘i. Visitor data from April forward reflects the data collected in 2008 with the departure of Aloha and ATA airlines," said Marsha Wienert, Tourism Liaison.

"Easter and Spring Break in 2009 fell in April which helped with visitor arrivals as did an increase in visitors who came to attend a convention."

"Realizing the need to compete in today's global tourism market, Hawai‘i's travel industry is offering some very attractive package pricing in the marketplace which is helping to encourage travelers to visit Hawai‘i."

"However the steeply discounted packages are affecting visitor spending and per person per day expenditures," added Wienert. "As we move through the remainder of 2009 the health of the visitor industry and our economy will be dependent on visitor spending and not necessarily on visitor arrivals."

Total expenditures by visitors who came by air in the first four months of 2009 declined 16.7 percent compared to the same period last year to $3.4 billion.

For the first four months of 2009, total visitor days for air and cruise visitors declined 10 percent. Total arrivals by air and cruise dropped 11.1 percent from the same period last year to 2,146,975 visitors.

Year-to-date, arrivals by air totaled 2,097,448 visitors, 11.5 percent fewer compared to the same period last year. The average daily spending was $168 per person, down from $181 per person from the first four months of 2008.

Other Highlights:

• Visitor arrivals from the East North Central region were up 9.5 percent in April 2009 compared to the same month last year.
• Arrivals from Pacific, the largest regional market, dropped slightly (-0.2%) as lower arrivals from Oregon (-8.8%) and Washington (-6.5%) were almost entirely offset by a 1.5 percent growth in arrivals from California. This was the first increase in California arrivals since March 2008 which was 3.5 percent higher compared to March 2007. A shift in the Easter Holiday from mid-March in 2008 to April in 2009 contributed to the positive growth in arrivals from this state.
• A total of 22,248 visitors came to attend conventions in April 2009, up 9.8 percent from last April. Most of the growth in convention visitors were from U.S. West (+7.1%) and Canada (+120.6%). Contributing to the increase were the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine convention with 5,675 attendees and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry convention with 3,467 attendees in the islands.
• More U.S. West visitors went to O‘ahu (+1.4%) as part of their trip to the islands compared to last April. An even higher number of U.S. West visitors stayed only on O‘ahu (+6.2%) during their visit.
• There were more repeat visitors from the U.S. West in April 2009 (81.3%), compared to the same month last year (79.2%). The average length of stay by all U.S. West was 8.93 days, compared to 9.02 days last April.
• U.S. East arrivals to Maui (-16.5%) and Kaua‘i (-15.5%) declined by double digits but increased 6.4 percent on Hawai‘i Island. Significantly more U.S. East visitors stayed only on Hawai‘i Island (+27%) compared to April 2008.
• The percentage of repeat visitors from the U.S. East in April 2009 (54.6%), were also higher compared to last April (53.4%). The average length of stay by U.S. East visitors this month was 9.65 days, similar to those who came a year ago.
• Despite lower daily spending by Japanese visitors ($261 per person, down from $285 in April 2008), growth in arrivals contributed to a 3.7 percent increase in total spending by Japanese visitors to $128.2 million in April 2009.
• The strong growth in Japanese arrivals (+8.8%) was driven by two factors: lower travel costs due to reductions in fuel surcharges and more favorable exchange rates; and a fortunate timing of national holidays in 2009 for Japan's Golden Week created a longer sequence of possible vacation days which favored overseas travel to longer-haul destinations such as Hawai‘i.
• Japanese honeymooners rose 14.2 percent from April 2008 to 20,679 visitors. For the first four months of 2009, 70,311 Japanese visitors came to honeymoon in the islands, up 20.2 percent from year-to-date 2008.
• Significantly more Japanese visitors (+39.2%) who came in April 2009 made their own airlines, hotels and travel arrangements rather than purchased packages compared to the same month last year.
• O‘ahu (+11%), Hawai‘i Island (+11.4%) and Maui (+14.5%) saw double digit increases in Japanese arrivals compared to April 2008.
• There were also more repeat visitors from Japan in April 2009 compared to last April (56% versus 52.6%).
• More Canadians in April 2009 visited O‘ahu (+7.2%), Hawai‘i island (+24.9%) and Kaua‘i (+10.9%) compared to last April.
• The number of Canadian visitors who came for meetings, conventions and incentives during the month jumped 62.4 percent compared to April 2008.
• There were more repeat visitors from Canada in April 2009 (56.7%) compared to the same month last year (55.1%). Canadian visitors' stay in April 2009 was 11.81 days, similar to the same month last year.

• All islands reported lower visitor expenditures this month compared to April 2008. Total visitor expenditures on O‘ahu decreased 4.7 percent to $401 million. Total expenditures on Maui fell 18.7 percent to $197.3 million; total visitor spending on Hawai‘i Island declined 18 percent to $94.2 million; while total visitor spending on Kaua‘i dropped 17.4 percent to $73.7 million.

• Among the major Hawaiian Islands, O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island experienced growth in visitor days and visitor arrivals from three out of the top four major visitor markets compared to April 2008.
• Growth in visitors to Hawai‘i Island was supported by additions of flights from Los Angeles and new service from Seattle.
• There were more Japanese visitor arrivals than U.S. East visitors on O‘ahu in April 2009.
• Canadian visitors days and visitor arrivals rose by double digit for Hawai‘i Island and Kaua‘i in April 2009.

• Year-to-date, among the top four visitor markets, the U.S. East had the largest declines in visitor arrivals on each of the four major islands.
• Total air seats to Hawai‘i for April 2009 rose slightly (+0.7%) compared to last April. Increases in seat capacity from the U.S. West (+4%), Japan (+3.5%) and Other Asia (+18.6%) offset fewer seats from the U.S. East (-15.3%), Canada (-12.3%) and Australia/New Zealand (-12.6%).
• For the first four months of 2009, total air seats to Hawai‘i declined 13.9 percent due to decreases in seats from the U.S. East (-24%), Canada (-20.7%), the U.S. West (-14.5%) and Japan (-6.1%).

April 2009 Cruise Ship Visitors

• A total of 24,267 cruise visitors came by air to board a cruise ship or arrived by cruise ship in April 2009, up 7.3 percent from the same month last year, the first increase since November 2007 (+6.5%).
• Contributing to the increase in total cruise passengers were six out-of-state cruise ships which brought 11,294 visitors by ship. Two of the six ships also had back-to-back continuous tours during the month where cruise passengers flew to the islands to board these out-of-state ships.

April 2009 Cruise Visitor Highlights

• The average length of stay by all cruise visitors during the month was 10.03 days.
• In year-to-date 2009, a total of 88,305 visitors came by cruise ship or by air to board cruise ships, 24.9 percent lower compared to the same period last year. Visitor days for all cruise visitors decreased 28.7 percent.
• Year-to-date, 49,527 visitors came by cruise ships, up 7.2 percent, while total visitor days for those who came by cruise ships rose 3.8 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