If the numbers are any indicator, Kaua‘i’s popularity with the Japanese visitor might be taking a turn for the better. Last month, the number of Japanese who came to Hawai‘i to visit Kaua‘i specifically skyrocketed 479.2 percent over March 2003.
If the numbers are any indicator, Kaua‘i’s popularity with the Japanese visitor might be taking a turn for the better.
Last month, the number of Japanese who came to Hawai‘i to visit Kaua‘i specifically skyrocketed 479.2 percent over March 2003. For the year to date, there was an 180-percent jump — startling statistics that have industry watchers here pleasantly surprised.
But before you rush off to take a Japanese-language course, consider that only 911 Japanese made Kaua‘i their specific destination this year, up from 316 last year. Another 14,689 came so far this year, but their itineraries included stays on other islands like O‘ahu and Maui.
Compared to the 238,060 visitors to Kaua‘i so far this year, the numbers are minuscule. But it could indicate that Kaua‘i’s rural charms are catching on with the ultra-urban Japanese traveler.
“We’re slowly making an impact there,” said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua‘i Visitor Bureau. “We launched a Japanese-language Web site in the beginning of this year. It’s the first time we’ve launched into another language at all.”
While no one expects the notoriously Waikiki-loving Japanese tourist to have a major economic impact here anytime soon, tourism strategists aren’t shocked by the upward move.
Indeed, officials with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority hired Tokyo-based Dentsu Inc. to highlight and market each island’s specific charms in their “Six Islands, Six Surprises” campaign, which was launched earlier this year.
It’s the first time the HTA — or the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau, for that matter — have made a conscious attempt to market Hawai‘i’s individual islands in Japan, Kanoho said.
Tokyo’s subway terminals, newspapers and television stations have for months now been showered with images of ‘ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro frenetically strumming away in spots unique to each Hawaiian island, including Kaua‘i.
Shimabukuro and a Dentsu film crew spent at least a week here last year capturing images of Kaua‘i’s unique, rural attractions.
Those same images might now be wooing Japanese travelers to our shores.
“They (Dentsu, Inc.) really bring a different level of partnership to the marketing experience,” Kanoho said. “Their leveraging their experience in Japan, which should benefit us greatly.”
If Japanese visitor numbers are up again next month, Kaua‘i tourism officials might be looking at a trend.
Meanwhile, it is the Mainland visitor who continues to drive Kaua‘i’s market.
Domestic and international numbers were slightly down in March. But for the year to date, domestic and international arrivals are up 2.4 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively. Nearly 201,000 domestic and 37,089 international visitors came to Kaua‘i so far this year.
There were 4,023 Canadian visitors last month, down 2.2 percent from last March, but their total numbers are up nearly 20 percent for the year, to just over 16,600. While Kaua‘i saw almost as many Canadians as Japanese in March, Canadian visitor days were four times greater.
Visitor arrivals by ship have dropped so far this year, from 58,765 to 45,280.
The average visitor by air and sea spent $157.2 per person per day, stayed 7.02 days and spent $1,104 total. Altogether this year, Kaua‘i’s visitors have spent $262.8 million.
Business Editor Phil Hayworth may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or mailto:phayworth@pulitzer.net.
