LIHU‘E — Though it was the first month the state has seen an increase in visitor arrivals since February 2008 — a little over 1 percent — Kaua‘i’s numbers did not fare so well. Visitor spending on Kaua‘i fell more
LIHU‘E — Though it was the first month the state has seen an increase in visitor arrivals since February 2008 — a little over 1 percent — Kaua‘i’s numbers did not fare so well.
Visitor spending on Kaua‘i fell more than 11 percent, or about $95 million, compared to July 2008, with a year-to-date decline of 16.4 percent, or about $602 million since the same time last year, according to Hawai‘i Tourism Authority numbers released Wednesday.
Arrivals are down some 14 percent year-to-date for Kaua‘i since last year, while O‘ahu experienced a fall of 8.5 percent, Maui a drop of almost 13 percent and the Big Island an 11 percent decline.
Last month Kaua‘i saw a dip of about 4 percent in arrivals compared to July 2008, while both O‘ahu and Maui had a drop of about 1 percent and the Big Island had an increase of about 3 percent.
“It was a little more than I expected,” said Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau Executive Director Sue Kanoho. “But, considering what we’re all facing, globally and nationally, we’re still holding our own. … I’m just happy with single-digit numbers versus double digits.”
Though July “tends to be a strong month” and Kaua‘i is in a “little bit of a downward spiral,” she said, it’s also not entirely unexpected, as people continue to clamp down on spending.
Total U.S. West visitor arrivals increased overall for the state last month in relation to July 2008. However, most of those visitors opted to travel to the other major Hawaiian islands, with Kaua‘i seeing only a 0.7 percent increase.
In addition, the U.S. West was the only geographical area, besides Canada at 1.3 percent, that recorded growth for Kaua‘i. The U.S. East decreased by over 8 percent and Japanese visitors declined by almost 67 percent on the island.
“There is a recognition that we have to look at new kinds of industries,” said Randy Francisco, president of the Chamber of Commerce, in a phone interview Wednesday.
There have been 10 new Chamber members since June and many of them, Francisco said, are either “green businesses” or nonprofits.
“That says a lot because nonprofits fill the other important voids in our community,” he said. “And green-type jobs are another viable area especially because we have high utility rates.”
When asked what steps the county is currently taking to help diversify the island’s economy as the visitor industry continues to slip, there are six industry clusters that have become the primary focus: Food and agriculture, high technology, health and wellness, renewable energy, sports and recreation and arts and culture, according to Beth Tokioka, executive assistant to Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.
In addition, Tokioka said the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as well as state and county capital improvement project stimulus monies will help “jumpstart” construction across the island, including the Kealia Fire Station which recently broke ground and the lateral expansion of the Kekaha Landfill.
“It’s just a matter of time and perhaps remembering we’re not out of the woods yet … I still think we’re moving in the right direction,” Kanoho said.
For more information and to view monthly visitor statistics online visit www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/visitor-stats/tourism.
