Chinese may
be key to Hawaii’s
tourism future

If the U.S. government
makes it easier for Chinese to
get tourist visas, thousands
more may visit each year

By Susan Kreifels
Star-Bulletin

Their No. 1 shopping spot was ABC Stores. They mainly ate Chinese food, but their favorite was Italian, least favorite American and Hawaiian.

Most stopped in Hawaii during business trips elsewhere, and they traveled in tour groups.

They're similar in many ways to Japanese tourists in the early days -- and at least one business says they spend as much.

That thumbnail sketch of mainland Chinese visitors came from interviews with 290 Chinese-speaking travelers departing Hawaii between Sept. 26 and Nov. 23 last year. It was the first survey of its kind, and the results were presented this week during a luncheon of 140 people sponsored by the Hawaii Chinese Tourism Association.

Although numbers are still small -- 31,320 mainland Chinese visited in 1997, 61,000 from Taiwan -- many in the travel industry feel Hawaii's future in tourism lies in the Chinese, especially in the mainland. Both countries have weathered the Asian economic crisis better than most, although Taiwan numbers are down from a high of 78,000 in 1992.

Many hope the survey will give Hawaii a head start in the rush for the potentially massive market.

"In a few years time, this market will be bigger than Japan," predicted Richard Lim, the association's president. "We're limited only by Washington."

The U.S. government makes it difficult for mainland Chinese to get tourist visas, fearing they will try to stay in the country. That's why most of them travel to the United States on business trips -- one in four were paid by a company or the Chinese government.

But Lim points to Thailand, which China has designated as an official leisure destination for its citizens. It sees 2.5 million mainland Chinese tourists a year. After several years of negotiation, Australia also earned the designation last year. In the 12 months leading to October 1998, 77,090 Chinese visited, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics -- a 21.5 percent increase over the previous year.

Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris said at the luncheon that the main problems facing Hawaii in developing the Chinese market were visas and direct flights from China. During a recent conference here with Chinese mayors, U.S. mayors agreed to pressure the federal government to ease the visa problem. Chinese mayors said they would license certain travel agents to arrange U.S. travel for Chinese, and in turn the agents would be responsible for guaranteeing the travelers' return.

Ted Sturdivant of Network Media, who led the survey, said visa problems shouldn't hold up efforts to develop the Chinese market. "We have to move forward," Sturdivant said. "It's a new market. We shouldn't take 20 years to develop it."

Of the Chinese visitors surveyed, 73 percent were from Taiwan, 21 percent from China and 6 percent from Hong Kong. The survey was funded by the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, Hawaii Hotel Association, and the Hawaii Chinese Tourism Association.

Carol Tsai, special assistant to Harris, said 300,000 mainland Chinese visit the United States every year, but Hawaii gets only 10 percent.

The survey showed 20 percent of all Chinese visitors were dissatisfied with Hawaii. Peter Gellatley of Network Media, which produces tourism publications, called the figure "terribly frightening" and one that needed immediate attention.

"Only now have we told each other the truth" about problems in the tourism industry such as prostitutes in Waikiki, Gellatley said. "Let's find out what specifically turned them off."

Savio Pang of Regency Tours said many Chinese tourists have complained that shopkeepers ignore them while serving Japanese, who they believe have more money.

The survey results did not include how much Chinese tourists spend here. But Robert Taylor, president of Maui Divers of Hawaii, has tracked the spending of 150,000 of them in the shop since 1994.

Taylor didn't give specific figures, but said mainland Chinese spend twice as much as Taiwanese and about the same as Japanese.

"The first ones traveling outside are quite affluent," Taylor said.

Typical Tourists Results of a survey of 290 Chinese-speaking visitors departing Hawaii from Sept. 26 to Nov. 23 last year: Peak arrivals from China in August, from Taiwan in July. Chinese follow same patterns as other markets when they first discover Hawaii. Mainland Chinese were less concerned about cost than Taiwanese. Mainly first-timers staying on Oahu. Heavier use of group tours and prepaid travel packages, generally travel without children. One out of five picked Hawaii for a good cultural experience, other reasons included beaches, beauty, discount packages and weather. One in three visited Hawaii as part of a longer trip to U.S. mainland. Two-thirds of them also went to Las Vegas. Mainland Chinese: Most are first-time visitors who stop here on business trips; one of four trips paid by company or government; more than half come on organized tours; average age 38, mostly men. Average stay: five days. Half said they are likely to return, one-third somewhat likely, and repeat visitors will visit other islands next time. Twenty percent of all said they were disappointed. Thirty percent mainland Chinese said they would not return. Hawaii met or exceeded most visitors' expectations because of beaches and ocean, temperature, sightseeing and beauty. All went shopping, to the beach and sightseeing. Hawaii scored high in cleanliness, safety, uniqueness, welcoming visitors and good service.