The average Kaua‘i visitor spent $147 a day and stayed 7.44 days on the island last year, state statistics show. Multiplying 972,629 Kaua‘i visitors times $147 per day times 7.44 days, total visitor expenditures on the island should have exceeded
The average Kaua‘i visitor spent $147 a day and stayed 7.44 days on the island last year, state statistics show.
Multiplying 972,629 Kaua‘i visitors times $147 per day times 7.44 days, total visitor expenditures on the island should have exceeded $1 billion ($1,063,744,884.72) in 2003.
Daily spending by out-of-state visitors who came by air to Kaua‘i in 2003 was higher compared to the previous year, according to survey results from the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
Daily visitor spending on Kaua‘i increased from $143 in 2002 to $147 per person last year, the DBEDT figures show.
“I would say that the increase in spending relates to the type of visitor we are getting,” said Margy Parker, executive director for the Poipu Beach Resort Association.
“There are more things to do here, people are staying here longer, and a great deal of them spend all of their discretionary income on the island,” Parker said.
Highlights of the DBEDT survey also illustrate that first-time visitors accounted for the majority of the out-of-state visitors surveyed on Kaua‘i in 2003.
“Having a majority of first-timers to the island is a positive message of repeat business,” said Parker.
More than 42 percent of the visitors surveyed on Kaua‘i are from the U.S. West region (west of the Rocky Mountains).
While DBEDT figures calculate the average length of stay on Kaua‘i at 7.11 days last year, the survey respondents said they stayed an average of 7.44 days.
Either way, Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, said she couldn’t remember a time when visitor length of stay was above seven days for Kaua‘i.
And the numbers of visitors who stayed only Kaua‘i continue rising, showing continued strong popularity of this island especially among Mainland visitors.
“The increase in direct flights, a decrease in international visitors, and the understanding that Kaua‘i has a lot to do plays a big role here,” said Parker.
“Also, the marketing efforts of organizations on the island such as ours help increase length of stay.”
Over half of the survey respondents said they stayed only on Kaua‘i.
Kaua‘i hosted the state’s largest percentage of those who came here to get married or honeymoon, while the Big Island, especially Hilo, had the largest share of out-of-state visitors who came to visit friends or relatives.
Respondents who stayed on Kaua‘i said they spent $58 per person per night on lodging, compared to $77 per person on Maui; $55 per person on the Big Island; and $38 per person on Moloka‘i.
The average Kaua‘i visitor responding to the DBEDT survey spent $31 per person per day on food and beverages.
compared to $35 per person on Maui, $29 per person on the Big Island, and $17 per person on Moloka‘i.
Daily spending by Hawai‘i residents who visited other Neighbor Islands in 2003 was the highest on Maui ($101 per person), followed by Kaua‘i ($93 per person), the Big Island ($90 per person) and Moloka‘i ($60 per person).
Business Editor Barry Graham may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or mailto:bgraham@pulitzer.net.
