LIHU‘E – President Barack Obama’s announcement Thursday of his plan to increase U.S. tourism by easing visa restrictions for citizens of China and Brazil was welcome news for state and local officials. Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the Hawai‘i
LIHU‘E – President Barack Obama’s announcement Thursday of his plan to increase U.S. tourism by easing visa restrictions for citizens of China and Brazil was welcome news for state and local officials.
Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, said the initiative would help advance efforts to create an estimated 154,000 jobs for the state.
“China is an emerging market for Hawai‘i’s tourism industry with unprecedented growth potential,” McCartney said. “Arrivals are expected to reach 125,394 in 2012, up 28 percent over 2011, with Chinese visitors spending $380 per person per day, higher than any other market.”
He called the president’s goal of increasing the number of Chinese visas processed and ensuring that visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks a “huge milestone” for Chinese tourism to Hawai‘i.
Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau Executive Director Sue Kanoho also said the proposal would be “good news” for tourism and jobs.
“Tourism is a great industry for jobs, and Hawai‘i has an opportunity to grow some of these international markets that previously may have had pent-up demand but were still challenged by visa issues,” Kanoho said.
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) estimates 2.4 million international visitors arrive annually.
Hawaiian Airlines recently announced a rise in demand for its Seoul-Honolulu service, indicating that there is growth for the market.
“In addition, multiple-island visits by Korean visitors to Hawai‘i increased by 41.5 percent over the first three quarters of 2011, with most taking advantage of the ease in making neighbor island flight connections on Hawaiian Airlines,” its news release stated.
While 92 percent of Korean travelers visited O‘ahu, Maui attracted 30 percent, Hawai‘i Island 12 percent and Kaua‘i 3 percent.
“Hawaiian Airlines helped drive the increase in neighbor island visits with a series of marketing efforts in Korea to promote the diversity of the Hawaii visitor experience outside Oahu,” the release stated.
Year-to-date HTA tourism figures for January through November 2011 show Kaua‘i has received 89,458 international visitors, up 19 percent from last year and making up 10 percent of Kaua‘i’s total visitors.
Of those international visitors, 23 arrived from Japan. The majority of the rest came from Canada. HTA does not list visitors from China or Brazil in its Kaua‘i Visitor Statistics reports.
“We are aware that there have been increases statewide in the international markets of Australia, South Korea and China, and would imagine that some of those new arrivals will eventually want to experience each one of the neighbor islands, including Kaua‘i,” Kanoho said.
A recent Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau meeting focused on how Kaua‘i can become better educated about the Korean and Chinese markets.
“Our initial efforts will be on training about the cultural differences and how we can best prepare ourselves to receive these new visitors,” Kanoho said. “Two markets that Kaua‘i will focus on for the Korean and Chinese markets are romance, weddings, honeymoons and golf.”
McCartney said visa waiver status for Taiwan is another significant milestone for Hawai‘i tourism.
“Following the visa waiver program with Korea in 2008, arrivals from the region increased 35 percent and have grown year after year. And we would anticipate seeing similar growth out of Taiwan,” he said.
“(Such) efforts will further establish our state as a global destination and benefit our state’s economy,” McCartney said. “Tourism continues to be the largest generator of jobs in Hawai‘i, and these initiatives will help to stimulate job growth for our residents.”
• Vanessa Van Voorhis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 251, or by emailing vvanvoorhis@thegardenisland.com.
