Categorized | Business

Visitor expenditures up 9.9% for February

MEDIA RELEASE

Total expenditures by visitors who came to Hawaii in February 2013 rose 9.9 percent (or $110.2 million) from February 2012, to $1.22 billion, according to preliminary statistics released by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Contributing to the increase was higher daily spending (+6.6% to $198 per person) and a 7.8 percent growth in total arrivals to 675,517 visitors. February 2012 visitor statistics were augmented by an extra leap-day.

Factoring out the extra day, the average daily census showed a 6.8 percent gain in visitors in February 2013.

Among Hawaii’s top visitor markets, arrivals by air from U.S. West grew 8.2 percent to 239,963 visitors in February 2013 while the average daily census rose 9.9 percent. U.S. West total visitor expenditures were up 19.7 percent to $382.5 million.

While U.S. East arrivals (144,594 visitors) were comparable to February 2012, the average daily census showed a 3 percent increase. Total U.S. East visitor spending rose 8.2 percent to $311.7 million.

Arrivals from Japan rose 3.9 percent to 118,926 visitors in February 2013 while the average daily census grew 4 percent. The average length of stay (5.76 days from 5.96 days) and daily spending ($300 per person from $301 per person) fell slightly compared to February 2012. Japanese visitor expenditures totaled $205.5 million in February 2013, unchanged from a year ago.

Canadian arrivals increased 1.7 percent to 65,304 visitors in February 2013. However, the average daily census fell 3.7 percent, due to a shorter average length of stay (12.63 days from 13.82 days in February 2012).

Total Canadian visitor expenditures were 1.2 percent higher compared to last February at $136.9 million. Arrivals from All Other markets increased 26.4 percent, while total visitor expenditures rose 11.8 percent to $181 million in February 2013.

Arrivals by cruise ships increased 44.7 percent from February 2012 to 25,442 visitors.

Year-to-date 2013:

For the first two months of 2013, total visitor expenditures rose 7.6 percent to $2.66 billion, led by increases from U.S. West (+16.9% to $802.1 million) and U.S. East (+9.5% to $706.1 million). Total arrivals grew 6.9 percent to 1,357,371 visitors, while the average daily census rose 4.1 percent.

Arrivals from All Other markets grew 11 percent from the first two months of 2012. Total visitor spending rose on all Hawaiian Islands except Lanai compared to year-to-date 2012.

Other Highlights:

Leading the strong growth in arrivals from All Other markets (+26.4%) was a tripling of Chinese visitors (to 14,097) compared to February 2012 (5,579 visitors). The shift in the Lunar New Year holidays to February in 2013 from January in 2012 contributed to this increase.

In addition, there was double-digit growth in arrivals from Oceania (+31.4% to 19,959) and Europe (+11.2% to 9,199) compared to last February.

The number of visitors who came for meetings, conventions and incentives (MCI) jumped 30.8 percent from February 2012. Convention visitors climbed 34.2 percent to 28,958 – a private event, held at the Hawaii Convention Center contributed to this increase.

In addition, there was a 52.2 percent growth in incentive visitors (to 18,930). Japanese incentive visitors tripled in February 2013 (8,353 visitors, from 2,506 in February 2012), as a number of Japanese companies held events in the islands.

Contributing to the 8.2 percent growth in U.S. West arrivals in February 2013 were increases from Pacific region (+7.5%) states: Alaska (+9.6%), California (+7.4%), Oregon (+12.3%) and Washington (+5.5%). Arrivals from the Mountain region rose 6.8 percent from February 2012.

U.S. East arrivals in February 2013 were equivalent to a year ago.

Arrivals from the Middle Atlantic region rose 11.7 percent, supported by increased air service. Arrivals from the New England (+9.1%) and South Atlantic (+2.4%) regions also increased, offsetting declines from the West North Central (-9.4%), East South Central (-4.1%), East North Central (-3.1%) and West South Central (-2.8%) regions.

Island Highlights:

Kauai: Among the larger islands, Kauai led the growth in arrivals (+9.5% to 90,082) compared to February 2012. Arrivals from U.S. West rose by double digits (+11.8% to 40,927), supported by increased air service to Lihue airport. There were also more visitors from U.S. East (+4.6% to 29,521) and Canada (+6.2% to 9,389) compared to last February.

While Japanese arrivals to Kauai remained a relatively small segment, there was significant growth (+36.5% to 3,077 visitors) from a year ago. Despite a small drop in daily spending (-0.8% to $176 per person), total visitor expenditures rose 4.2 percent to $120.4 million.

For the first two months of 2013, arrivals to Kaua‘i grew 10 percent to 182,245 visitors, while total visitor expenditures rose 9.3 percent to $257 million.

Hawaii Island: Arrivals to Hawaii Island grew 8.2 percent to 130,664 visitors with increases from U.S. West (+6% to 47,537) and Japan (+3.2% to 16,971) offsetting a 3.7 percent decline from Canada (to 13,629). Growth in daily spending (+9.9% to $172 per person) also bolstered Hawaii Island’s total visitor expenditures (+12% to $163.2 million).

For the first two months of 2013, total arrivals to Hawaii Island rose 7.7 percent to 264,639 visitors. Total visitor expenditures grew 12.9 percent to $380.5 million.

Oahu: Arrivals to Oahu rose 7.9 percent to 396,084 visitors in February 2013. Higher daily spending (+7.9% to $212 per person) also contributed to a 10.9 percent increase in total visitor expenditures to $584.3 million. Growth in arrivals from U.S. West (+7.7% to 104,343), U.S. East (+3.7% to 81,336) and Japan (+3.5% to 114,514) offset an 11 percent decline from Canada (to 25,134). Arrivals from China to Oahu nearly tripled to 14,188 visitors, while arrivals from Korea increased 13.5 percent to 13,026 visitors.

For the first two months of 2013, arrivals to Oahu grew 6.1 percent to 803,159 visitors and total visitor expenditures increased 5.6 percent to $1.25 billion.

Maui: In February 2013, increased arrivals (+5.8% to 194,522 visitors) and daily spending (+7.1% to $206 per person) contributed to a 9.4 percent growth in Maui’s total visitor expenditures to $339.6 million.

There was growth in arrivals from U.S. West (+7.4% to 78,857), Canada (+7.3% to 33,602) and Japan (+21.3% to 7,197), which offset a 5 percent decline from U.S. East (to 53,361).

For the first two months of 2013, arrivals to Maui rose 6.2 percent to 395,484 visitors while total expenditures rose 7.5 percent to $731 million.

Air Seats to Hawaii:

Total air seats for February 2013 grew 10 percent from last February to 844,874 seats. Total air seats increased for Honolulu (+11.5% to 584,026), Kahului (+3.6% to 151,399), Kona (+9.8% to 57,277) and Lihue (+20.3% to 49,132), but declined for Hilo (-41.3% to 3,040).

Total scheduled air seats grew 8.7 percent to 824,957. International charter seats quadrupled from last February to 15,501 seats. There were a number of charter flights from Japan, as well as charters from Shanghai, Taipei, Seoul and Sydney. In contrast, domestic charter seats declined 20 percent to 4,416 as a result of fewer charter flights out of Las Vegas.

Scheduled air seats from U.S. West in February 2013 grew 6.8 percent. New service from Boise, Eugene, Fresno, Mesa, Spokane, Stockton; and increased service from Anchorage, Bellingham, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Phoenix, Portland, and San Jose; offset reduced service from Denver, Salt Lake City and San Francisco.

Seats from U.S. East jumped 26.8 percent from February 2012. Daily direct service from New York City and Washington D.C., and increased service from Houston and Newark offset fewer seats out of Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas.

Scheduled seats out of Japan grew 5.2 percent compared to February 2012 due to new service from Sapporo and increased service from Fukuoka, Osaka and Narita, which offset reduced service from Haneda and Nagoya.

Scheduled seats out of Canada decreased 3.6 percent, mainly due to fewer seats from Vancouver and Calgary which offset more seats Edmonton.

Oceania air seats increased 22 percent, boosted by additional seats from Sydney and Auckland. Hawaiian Airlines launched a new route from Brisbane in late November and Jetstar restarted service from Melbourne in December 2012.

Scheduled seats from Other Asia climbed 42.5 percent from February 2013 as increased service boosted seats from Seoul. In addition, there was increased service out of Shanghai and new service from Taipei.

For the first two months of 2013, total air seats grew 10.3 percent, with increased seats to Lihue (+24.8%), Honolulu (+10.6%), Kona (+10.3%) and Kahului (+6.7%) offsetting fewer seats from Hilo (-33.1%).

There were significantly more scheduled seats from Other Asia (+31.9%), U.S. East (+29.2%) and Oceania (+17.6%) compared to the first two months of 2012. Scheduled seats from U.S. West (+8.2%) and Japan (+8.7%) also increased, offsetting fewer seats from Canada (-1.4%).

Cruise Ship Visitors:

The total number of visitors who came by cruise ships or by air to board cruise ships increased 29.7 percent to 34,864 visitors in February 2013. Total cruise ship visitor days rose 20.5 percent from last February.

In February 2013, 14 cruise ships brought 25,442 visitors to the islands compared to 10 ships with 17,586 visitors in February 2012.
For the first two months of 2013, a total of 62,529 visitors came by cruise ship or by air to board cruise ships, an increase of 24.7 percent from the same period last year. Visitor days for all cruise visitors rose 19.9 percent.

In the first two months of 2013, 43,681 visitors came aboard 23 out-of-state cruise ships. This is 39.3 percent higher compared to the 31,350 visitors that boarded the 19 cruise ships during the same period in 2012.

Statement by Mike McCartney, President and CEO Hawaii Tourism Authority

Hawaii’s tourism industry continues to maintain positive momentum, generating $2.66 billion in visitor expenditures through February 2013, an additional $188 million in comparison to the same period last year. This growth helped to generate $280 million in state tax revenue, a $20 million increase from February 2012.

Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent an average of $200 per person per day, $10 more per day than a year ago. In total, visitors spent an average of $45 million per day through February 2013: $21 million on Oahu, $13 million in Maui County, $6 million on Hawaii Island and $4 million on Kauai.

Arrivals to Hawaii Island grew 8.2 percent to 130,664 visitors with increases from U.S. West (+6% to 47,537) and Japan (+3.2% to 16,971) offsetting a 3.7 percent decline from Canada (to 13,629). Growth in daily spending (+9.9% to $172 per person) also bolstered Hawaii Island’s total visitor expenditures (+12% to $163.2 million).

Year-to-date through February 2013, total arrivals to Hawaii Island rose 7.7 percent to 264,639 visitors. Total visitor expenditures grew 12.9 percent to $380.5 million.

We continue to focus on enhancing visitor distribution and economic growth across the state, especially during the slower shoulder periods, in order to maintain balance between resident and visitor needs. Through working with our industry partners, we have been able to grow visitor expenditures and arrivals on all of the Hawaiian Islands, with significant increases on the neighbor islands.

Through February 2013, the average growth in total visitor expenditures for the neighbor islands was 9.1 percent in comparison to the 5.6 percent increase on Oahu. Total visitor arrivals to all of the neighbor islands was also slightly higher (+6.6%) than to Oahu (+6.1%).

While we are making strides in increasing travel and affecting economic recovery on the neighbor islands, we believe there is still potential for growth and continue to work to drive demand across all of the Hawaiian Islands.

By supporting upcoming festivals and events like the 50th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival, Ka‘u Coffee Festival, Puna Music Festival and Big Island Film Festival, the HTA projects economic growth for Hawaii Island through the traditionally slower shoulder season periods in spring.

Enhancing the visitor industry for the benefit of both residents and visitors continues to be a top priority for the HTA. We will continue to work with our partners to improve our product through maintenance of and upgrades to our infrastructure and natural resources, while highlighting experiences unique to our destination.

We will also focus on the diversification of new segments including the meetings, conventions and incentives (MCI) market and look to expand in Latin America and Taiwan in order to sustainably grow our tourism economy.

— Find out more:
www.hawaiitourismauthority.org
www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/research/research/visitor-highlights

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