BARRY GRAHAM - TGI Business Editor
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Kaua‘i tourism is receiving a boost from the aging baby boomer generation. Members of the 35-54 year-old group are now in their peak spending years and many possess the disposible income needed to travel.

Baby Boomers accounted for 43 percent of all household domestic trips, making it the largest traveling age group in the U.S., according to the Travel Industry Association’s latest Domestic Travel Market Report (2003).

The study also shows that Baby Boomer travelers are the most affluent, with 44 percent having an income of $75,000 or more, and spent more on their trips than any other age group ($491 per trip, excluding cost of transportation to destination). Furthermore, family travel (with at least one child) accounts for 31 percent of Boomer trips.

Other statistics on the Baby Boomer age group

Baby Boomer household trips are most likely to include business or convention travel (24 percent) and use air transportation (22 percent).

Boomers are more likely to stay in a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast.

Thirty-one percent of trips taken by Boomer households include at least one child.

Favorite activities by Baby Boomers on vacation include shopping (31 percent); outdoor activities (16 percent); visiting historical places/museums (13 percent); going to the beach (10 percent); attending cultural events/festivals (9 percent); and visiting national and state parks (8 percent).

Consumer travel behaviors

Total domestic and international (excluding Canada) passenger volume was even (0 percent change) with last year’s figures for the seven-day period ending Oct. 16.

According to statistics published by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, domestic passenger volume continued to perform above 2002 levels (+3 percent), while nonstop passengers from Japan arriving in Hawai‘i stood at 94 percent of 2002 figures for the seven-day period.

Current industry developments

Hawai‘i’s cuisine will be a featured cultural attraction of the 2003-2004 “Aloha Odyssey” winter cruises offered by Royal Olympia Cruises, through a special program with HVCB.

Four award-winning Hawaii “Chefs of Aloha” will provide shipboard gourmet seminars and demonstrations, while also creating signature dishes as part of the dinner menu for the roundtrip 13-day and 14-day cruises.

In an effort to protect and enhance the natural environment attractions that draw visitors to the state, the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) has launched a natural resources program.

Representatives from Hawai‘i’s environmental groups and organizations have been consulting with HTA on its natural environment initiatives, including county-specific projects, statewide natural resources assessment, a survey of state parks, and the allocation of $1,000,000 for park and trail improvements.

National and International Consumer travel behaviors

The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide grew 2.7 percent in 2002, surpassing the 700 million visitor mark for the first time, according to World Tourism Organization (WTO) data from a majority of the world’s destination countries. International tourism receipts increased nominally, up 0.3 percent in 2002, totaling $474 billion.

Despite a 7.4 percent decrease in international tourism receipts, the U.S. continued to lead all countries in this category, registering $66.5 billion in 2002 – nearly double the receipts recorded by Spain ($33.6 billion), who was ranked second.

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) projects that overall business travel costs will increase six percent compared to last year, according to their 2004 Business Travel Overview and Cost Forecast report.

The study finds that as corporations try to keep travel costs down, they have turned to alternative suppliers and new technologies to get the best value for their money. Other projections for business travel in 2004; Business airfares will increase five percent, with average business airfare rising to $1,273.

Hotel rates will increase by three percent.

Corporate car rental rates will increase by two percent, with average corporate car rental rates increasing to $69per day.

Business travelers show more similarities to today’s leisure traveler, with corporate decisions being driven by price and value, according to an independent business travel survey conducted by Travelocity Business .

One-quarter (25 percent) of business traveler respondents stated that price was the main factor in booking business flights, and revealed that 85 percent of business travelers are flying in coach, 10 percent in business class, and nearly five percent in first class.