LIHU‘E — The total number of visitors to Kaua‘i plunged nearly 25 percent in March compared to the same month a year ago, according to state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism figures released Tuesday. More than a third
LIHU‘E — The total number of visitors to Kaua‘i plunged nearly 25 percent in March compared to the same month a year ago, according to state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism figures released Tuesday.
More than a third of this decline in arrivals was due to fewer cruise ship passengers — a loss that was primarily chalked up to the departure last May of Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Pride of Aloha.
Statewide visitor counts dropped nearly 17 percent last month compared to the same period in 2008, dealing a hard hit to the islands’ No. 1 industry and causing a significant trickle-down effect in the local economies.
“March visitor statistics continue to reflect the impact global economic conditions are having on our economy,” state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert said in a statement.
The decline in arrivals naturally translated to a loss in visitor spending.
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.
All islands reported lower visitor expenditures last month compared to March 2008. Total visitor expenditures on O‘ahu declined 20.2 percent to $376.7 million; Maui decreased 29.8 percent to $228.2 million; Hawai’i Island decreased 21.9 percent to $105.5 million; and Kaua‘i fell 26.8 percent to $80.8 million.
For March, 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), according to the DBEDT.
Total visitor days in March were down 17.1 percent from the same month 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 percent). Canadian air arrivals were down 3.8 percent from the same month last year.
For Kaua‘i, the number of Japanese arrivals was up 0.4 percent and last month compared to March 2008. The Garden Isle also had a 10.2 percent increase in Canadian visitors during the same time frame.
“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,” Wienert said.
“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,” she said. “Also, the number of Japanese visitors who came here to get married rose 11 percent in March.”
But Japanese visitor spending dropped by $19 to an average of $268 a day.
For the first quarter of 2009, total visitor days decreased 13.6 percent. Total arrivals declined 14 percent from the same period last year to 1.61 million visitors.
Year-to-date, arrivals by air totaled 1.57 million visitors, down 14.4 percent compared to the same period last year. The average daily spending was $170 per person, down from $179 per person from first quarter 2008, according the DBEDT statistics.
Visitors who skipped O‘ahu and only went to a Neighbor Island increased 14.9 percent from March 2008.
O‘AHU % change KAUA‘I % change MAUI % change BIG ISLAND % change
Total arrivals 327,367 -16.3% 73,571 -24.7% 158,683 -25.8% 167,100 -17.7%
Days stayed 2,305,819 -13.6% 540,029 -17.9% 1,284,754 -21.9% 730,435 -14.09%
Spending ($ML) 379.7 -20.2% 80.8 -25.8% 228.2 -29.8% 105.5 -21.9%
At a glance: Comparing March 2008 state DBEDT visitor statistics to March 2009
• Total number of visitors to Kaua‘i plunged 24.7 percent.
• Total visitor spending on Kaua‘i fell 26.8 percent to $80.8 million.
• More Japanese (+0.4 percent) and Canadians (+10.2 percent) visited Kaua‘i and stayed longer (+24 percent), but significantly less came from the Mainland (-26.6 percent) and year-to-date numbers are still down double digits.
• The loss of one Hawai‘i home-ported ship was attributed to 37.5 percent of Kaua‘i’s decline in arrivals due to less cruise ship passengers visiting the island.
— The Garden Island
• To read the visitor research data in its entirety, visit www.hawaii.gov/dbedtV
