Maui News Economic Assessment

Aloha Kakou:

The Maui News has prepared an assessment of current economic conditions along with their forecast for 2009. Below is the link to the tourism sector section:

http://extras.mauinews.com/Maui%20Now/Pages13-16R.pdf

What other GMs are saying:

“We have definitely experienced a decline in tourism, but we are not stopping the move into new products. We will continue as much as we can.”
Michael Jokovich, General Manager, Hyatt Regency at Kaanapali

“Focus on the customer. The customer is looking for that escape more than ever . I think the customer’s idea of the value of a dollar is completely different from what it was six months ago. He treasures that dollar, he wants more value from that dollar.”
Craig Anderson, General Manager, Westin Maui

2008 and 2009 Hawaii Economic Projections

Aloha Kakou:

Both the Advertiser and the Star Bulletin reported this morning a 10% drop in tourist visits to Hawaii in 2008.

"Right now we're comparing (projections) to a very good year -- 2007 was a very good year," Pearl Imada Iboshi, the state's chief economist, said. "Next year we're only expecting the first three months of year to be bad ... after that we're expecting it to be relatively stable."


Only 3 bad months in 2009? If she's comparing 2009's projections to be stable vis-a-vis 2008, buckle your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy year.


http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081119/NEWS01/811190399/1001


http://www.starbulletin.com/business/20081119_Hawaiis_visitor_count_expected_to_fall_101.html

Maui Gas Prices

Aloha Kakou:

Well, the good news is that the price of regular is now down to $3.32 on the West Side.

Let's cruise!

Off to Honolulu

Aloha Kakou:

As I will be in Honolulu the next few days, there will be no new blog entries this week.

I'll be attending a conference on Hawaii condominium law (you are so jealous, I know!). I'll be back on Monday.

To those of you faithful readers, thank you for your continuing support and readership.

First S Koreans Arrive With New Visas

Aloha Kakou:

The first group of Koreans to enter Hawaii under the new visa waiver arrived in Honolulu yesterday. Visitors from South Korea under the new program now need only a passport with a smart chip embedded in it.

While Waikiki will be the initial beneficiary of the relaxation of the visa rules, with any luck South Korean visitors will soon want to visit Maui as well.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200881117056

Christmas Trees are Here!

Aloha Kakou:

The first shipment of refrigerated containers bearing fresh Christmas trees arrived in Hawaii today.

Yes, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet! But if you are celebrating Christmas mainland-style, now's the time to hele on down to your favorite Christmas tree stand.

If you prefer to do things more local, you can either:

1. get an artificial tree. You can leave that one up all year, and it never dries out!

or

2. get a live Norfolk Pine. That way, once Christmas is over, you can plant it in your yard and enjoy it for a long time.

or

3. do what we do and head Upcountry to Kula Botanical Gardens the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They are the only Christmas tree farm on Maui. While freshly cut Monterey Pines are your only choice of tree, Auntie Helen and Uncle Warren do have many sizes. With a little TLC, even on Maui you can get your Christmas tree to last the entire 12 days of Christmas!

http://www.kulabotanicalgarden.com/services.html

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081117/BREAKING01/81117090/0/RSS01

Aloha Kakou:

Scenes from the play "A Celebration of Life - The Ka'iulani Project" will be performed Saturday night from 6 to 8 pm at Lahaina United Methodist Church and on Saturday at St. John's Church in Keokea.

The play highlights the life and times of Princess Victoria Ka'iulani Cleghorn, who lived at the controversial time of the end of the Hawaiian monarchy. For more information, see the Maui News article:

http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/510844.html?nav=12