| Fewer tourists are traveling to Hawaii and their | | | | the loss of two home-ported cruise ships and |
| combined spending decreased last month as steeper | | | | increased airfares," said state tourism liaison Marsha |
| airfares discouraged people from visiting the islands, | | | | Wienert. "Increased marketing efforts in our base |
| according to state statistics released Thursday. | | | | market, U.S. West, will help stimulate demand for |
| The number of Hawaii cruise visitors plunged due to | | | | summer travel." |
| the departure of the Pride of Hawaii, and because | | | | Over the first five months of this year, total |
| the Pride of Aloha made just one voyage in May, her | | | | expenditures by visitors who arrived by air increased |
| last in the islands. | | | | 3.2% to $4.94 billion even as total arrivals by air |
| Visitor expenditures dropped 2.9%, or $26.7 million, in | | | | decreased 1.1% to 2,918,580. |
| May compared to the same month last year because | | | | Tourism from Japan was down 6.2% in May, while |
| fewer passengers flew to the islands, according to | | | | 13.7% more people are arriving from Canada. |
| the Department of Business, Economic Development | | | | "We continue to be pleased with the performance of |
| and Tourism. Arrivals dipped 6.4%, or 549,017 people, | | | | the Canada and other Asia markets and anticipate |
| last month. | | | | further growth especially in the China market be |
| Daily spending increased to $185 per person | | | | cause Chinese are now able to visit the U.S. as leisure |
| compared to $179 per person in May 2007. | | | | group travelers," Wienert said. |
| There were 56.9% fewer tourists arriving in Hawaii | | | | The first group of Chinese leisure travelers visited |
| by cruise ship - only 5,382 visitors for the month. | | | | Hawaii this week under a new agreement between |
| Only three out-of-state cruise ships visited the islands | | | | the U.S. and China. |
| in May compared to seven in the same | | | | Trips from the U.S. West and East also fell, with the |
| "May statistics are better than anticipated, especially | | | | steepest decline coming from 19.3% fewer visitors |
| since it is the first month to report the effects of | | | | from California. |