Hawaii tourism
industry to get peek at
Chinese market

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

The first detailed look at the travel, accommodations and shopping habits of Chinese-speaking visitors to Hawaii will be presented to a tourism industry luncheon Feb. 16.

"There has been very little data on the Chinese visitors," said Ted Sturdivant, vice president of Network Media Inc. Sturdivant found that out when his company last year started issuing a travel planner publication aimed at the Chinese market.

The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, the Hawaii Hotel Association and the Hawaii Chinese Tourism Association subsequently sponsored the study and the results will be reported at the Chinese New Year's lunch at the Ilikai Hotel Nikko Waikiki.

"This was the first real effort on gathering information on the Chinese," Sturdivant said. The survey was done by airport exit interviews with departing Chinese.

Barbara Okamoto, director of market research at the HVCB, will present the findings. She will be joined by Wanda L. Kikugawa, president and principal of Market Trends Pacific Inc., and Qian Miao, development manager of the Hawaii Chinese Business and Travel Planner.

The report being issued next week deals not only with travelers from the People's Republic of China but with Chinese speakers from other Asia-Pacific nations.

The fee for the 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. event is $25 for members of the Chinese tourism association, the HVCB or the hotel association and $30 for others, plus $5 at the door for late bookers.

The survey report will be issued free to members of the three associations and is $25 a copy for nonmembers. For more information call Sturdivant at 955-2378.