Visitor count rises

But a trend toward shorter stays
nearly cancels out the benefit

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Tourist arrivals were up in January for the fifth month in a row but the economic impact of the increase was almost completely wiped out by the fact that their stays were shorter, according to the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau.

The total visitor count of 555,050 in January was up 1.8 percent from 545,300 arrivals in January 1997, the HVCB said. Travel from the mainland was up 1.9 percent for a total of 266,050, compared with 261,000 in January 1997.

That was a result of the growing mainland economy and stronger Hawaii marketing efforts, said Tony Vericella, HVCB president and chief executive officer.

"In addition, we were able to minimize the drop in eastbound visitor days, which many had expected to be greater," Vericella said.

Total eastbound arrivals, from Japan and other Asia-Pacific points, were up 0.6 percent, a total of 218,320 compared with 217,030 in January 1997. But the length of stay by eastbound visitors slipped 1.6 percent to 5.51 days on average, from 5.6 days in January 1997.

Westbound arrivals, from the mainland, Canada and Europe, were up 2.6 percent for a total of 336,730, from 328,270 in the previous January. However, their average stay was shorter by 2 percent, at 12.42 days compared with 12.67 days in the year-earlier month.

The net result was an average length of stay among all visitors of 9.7 days, down 1.6 percent from 9.86 days. That created an average daily census -- the number of tourists in the islands on an average day in January -- of 173,710, up only 0.2 percent from 173,380 in January 1997.

These statistics are considered critical by the visitor industry because the longer visitors stay in Hawaii, the more money they spend.

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, which has more rooms in Waikiki than any other hotel operator, said its Asia business was down but mainland business was better.

"Japanese business is off about 10 percent and Korean business has dropped right off the radar screen," said Bryan Klum, Outrigger director of marketing. "Our numbers were up because the U.S. numbers grew," offsetting the Asian decline.

"I think that's the trend we're going to see for the next few months," he said. "We still are projecting that 1998 will be a flat year for the destination. Unless the Asian business recovers quickly, that's sort of an optimistic viewpoint."

Japan Airlines said its figures bear out the HVCB conclusion that Asian travel to Hawaii was up in January.

"We had very strong arrivals, up 11.2 percent from January 1997," said Gilbert Kimura, JAL regional sales manager.

That was probably due to opening up nontraditional markets with service to Kona and new flights to Honolulu from regions such as Sendai and Fukuoka, Kimura said.

In travel to the individual islands, only Oahu and the Big Island showed increases. Travel to Oahu was up 4.5 percent and the Big Island had a 2.2 percent increase in arrivals.

Travel to Maui was down 7.6 percent, Kauai had 1.3 percent fewer visitors, traffic to Lanai was down 14.7 percent and Molokai showed a 21.2 percent decline, from January 1997.

The HVCB report, released yesterday, showed that the honeymoon market fell 5.5 percent last month, to 30,270 visitors from 32,030 in January 1997.