June Maui Visitors, Spending Up

Aloha Kakou:


Though Maui had a slight increase in visitors, Hawaii's June occupancy was lower this year than last. Statewide, visitor spending was up, most likely due in part to increased room rates.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/126212278.html

May Occupancy Flat, Spending Up

Aloha Kakou:

Maui occupancy remained consistent to that of last May but visitor spending increased compared to last year, up $6.50 per day per person to $184.20.

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/550912/Visitor-spending-continues-to-climb.html?nav=10

Beds Missed Most

Aloha Kakou:

One of the best thing you can give your guest is a good night's sleep, according to a recent survey of 1000 U.S. consumers on vacation trends. Of that 1000 respondents, 57% said they would miss their beds most when on vacation.

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/5717/Vacation-trends-Americans-miss-their-beds-most

First Scheduled Nonstop Between Shanghai & Honolulu

Aloha Kakou:

China Eastern Airlines is poised to begin the first scheduled non-stop air service between Shanghai and Honolulu in August, according to Mike McCartney, President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

The twice-weekly flight will make it easier for Chinese visitors to come to Hawaii as currently they must make a stop in either Japan or Korea.

Now if only the US would make it easier for Chinese citizens to get travel visas, we might see the beginning of a Chinese travel boom.

http://bit.ly/kUL2id

Air Seats Down To OGG

Aloha Kakou:

The Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) has notified us that the number of air seats to OGG will be down about 8% this summer from US mainland destinations.

The total number of seats is down about 434k and is slightly offset by 16k seats from Canada.

Jun-Aug-2011

April Visitor Numbers Look Good

Aloha Kakou:

Maui had an 11% growth in our number of visitors this April compared to 2010. Total visitor spending was up this year by 22.4%.

"The growth in arrivals to Maui in April 2011 was supported by increases from Canada (+32.7%), U.S. West (+12.4%) and U.S. East (+1.4%), which offset fewer visitors from Japan (-34.2%). Considerably more Canadian (+38.5%) and U.S. West (+15.4%) visitors stayed exclusively on Maui compared to last April."

"For the first four months of 2011, arrivals to Maui from Canada (+23.8%), U.S. East (+8.4%) and U.S. West (+8%) increased, but arrivals from Japan (-5.2%) declined compared to the same period last year. "

Spending per person per day was up about 9% to $79.40, about a $10 increase over 2010.

http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/default/assets/File/reports/visitor-statistics/April%202011%20Visitor%20Stats%20PR%20(FINAL).pdf

Wither Goest Thou, Tourism?

Aloha Kakou:

Hawaii's tourism outlook for 2011 depends upon who you ask.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is projecting a total number of visitors to the islands very close to the record set in 2006 of 7.63 million.

According to UHERO, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, is predicting a decline in visitors from Japan will lead to weaker numbers for Oahu and Big Island but will lead to a 6% increase on Maui, compared to last year.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20110520_Tourism_outlook_Up_Down.html

March Maui Expeditures, Arrivals Up

Aloha Kakou:

The Hawaii Tourism Authority today released visitor numbers for March.

Total Maui tourism expenditures were up almost 10% compared to March, 2010, to $283.2 million.

Maui had 11.3% more arrivals this March compared to last at 201,602.

Per person expenditures per trip declined a little more than 1% to $1404 from last year's $1422.

http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/documents_upload_path/tr_documents/March%202011%20Visitor%20Stats%20PR%20(FINAL).pdf

February Visitor Numbers Up

Aloha Kakou: February's average daily room rate increased $21 this year, up to $257 compared to last year. Occupancy was also up to 83.5%, compared to last February's 77.7%. Maui's number of Canadian visitors was up almost 20% this year as compared to 2010. While the state as a whole will be affected by declining visitor numbers due to Japan's crises, Maui and the Outrigger Maui Eldorado will not be greatly impacted as the number of visitors from that country has always been a very small part (about 5%) of the overall visitor picture. http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/547984/February-visitor-count-goes-up-again-but------.html?nav=10

United Changes Frequent Flyer Program

Aloha Kakou: In conjunction with it's merger with Continental, United is making some changes to it's frequent flyer program beginning June 15. The changes are announced on United's website. Upgrades to Hawaii will now cost fewer dollars and more miles, 17,000 to 25,000 each way plus $125. http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/united-quietly-rolls-out-mileage-program-changes-for-june-%e2%80%94-too-quietly/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tripso+%28Consumertraveler.com%29

State, Island Rates & Occupancy Up

Aloha Kakou: Visitor industry metrics were up for the month ending March 23, with Maui’s 80.6 percent occupancy rate up 5.4 percentage points compared to the same week in 2010. Rates were also up on Maui; $266.39 was 14.6% higher than last year. http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2011/04/01/hawaii-hotels-see-more-guests-as-rates.html

Visitor Slowdown Possible

Aloha Kakou: State and local officials, as well as private travel companies, are concerned that the Japanese tragedies will mean fewer people traveling to Hawaii, both from the east and the west. The number of Japanese visitors will decline due to that country's current difficulties, as Japanese believe it is inappropriate to travel while their fellow countrymen are suffering. Visitors from the mainland could also decrease due to hysteria surrounding unfounded fears of potential radiation. http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20110330__Tragedy_takes_bite_of_isle_tourism.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42339972/ns/travel-destination_travel/ http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/547773/Japan-disasters-could-slow-tourism-rebound.html?nav=10

Visitors, Nights, Dollars Up In February

Aloha Kakou: According to documents released today, Hawaii visitors spent more than $1 billion in February, 2011, an amount that surpassed the $999.97 million in February, 2007. Maui's visitor expenditures were up more than 12% this February compared to last at $279.5 million. Visitor days increased by 9% and visitor arrivals increased 8.2%. http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/documents_upload_path/tr_documents/February%202011%20Visitor%20Stats%20PR%20(FINAL).pdf

Maui Visitor Spending Up

Aloha Kakou:

Maui's per person spending in January rose 9.8% to $196 compared to December. That's the eleventh straight month of visitor spending increases.

The average visitor stayed nine and a half days on Maui.

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/546531/Maui-January-visitor-count-up-9-2-.html?nav=10

Islands Visitor Spending, Arrivals Up

Aloha Kakou:

January saw an increase of 20% in visitor spending compared to 2010. Arrivals increased by 12% for the same period, with double digit increases coming from Japan, Canada and the western US.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/116860713.html

"Get Me Out Of Here!"

Aloha Kakou:

There's nothing like a little nationwide publicity for the state to help get heads in beds!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41630703/ns/travel-destination_travel/

Tourism Up, Still Behind Banner Years

Aloha Kakou:

While 2010's visitor arrivals and spending topped that of 2009, those metrics were so low in 2009 that it seemed we had nowhere to go but up. And 2010's increases over 2009 were not significant.

Please see the comments below from some of Hawaii's leaders as quoted in today's Star Advertiser:

"2010 finished ahead of the prior year and ahead of our expectations, but you have to take into account that it's being measured against 2009, when we fell into a very deep hole," said Barry Wallace, vice president of hospitality services for Outrigger Enterprises.

Profitability for the hotel sector is at least another three to five years out, said Jerry Gibson, Hilton Hawaii's area vice president. "We are coming off of 2010 with higher occupancies, but rates are still about a decade behind where they need to be," Gibson said.

Rising oil prices, which are at $90 a barrel, also could play havoc with visitor industry profitability, said Jack Richards, president and chief executive officer for Pleasant Holidays LLC, Hawaii's largest wholesaler.

"It's the wild card," Richards said. "If consumers have to pay more for long-haul travel, hotels, wholesalers and other travel sellers will have to work harder to drive demand."

http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20110127_hawaii_experiences_a_refreshing_turnaround_for_tourism.html

Visitors, Spending Up

Aloha Kakou:

Maui's arrivals and visitor spending were both up for the first nine months of 2010 as compared to the same period last year.

Visitor spending was up 18.8% to $2.2 billion and arrivals were up 12.6% to 1.658 million.

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/542571/Tourism-rebound-apparent-in-report.html?nav=10

Maui Tops In Tourism Again

Aloha Kakou:

For the 16th out of the last 20 years, Maui has been named the best island in the world by Conde Nast's Traveler magazine.

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/541628/Maui-named-tourists--top-stop---again.html?nav=10

New Directions For Maui Marketing

Aloha Kakou:

The Maui Visitor's Bureau (MVB) is planning a new media blitz with a new direction, as announced at the MVB's annual marketing meeting last Friday.

While "nobody expects the high-water mark of spending to return to 2007 form soon", MVB Executive Director Terryl Vencl said, increases in visitor arrivals means Maui's occupancy is slowly.

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/533939.html?nav=10