[ HAWAII AT WORK ]
Interviewer keeps
tabs on tourismTadashi Goto does weekly
queries with visitors from JapanI work as chief editor for PacRim Marketing Group. We provide a Japanese language Web site, www.hawaii-arukikata.com. It's geared toward Japanese visitors.
I was a journalist at Sankei Shimbun, one of the biggest daily newspapers in Japan, for 17 years. We put out two papers per day, morning and evening editions. I did writing and editing. I majored in law, but I edited sports and social issues, in addition to law and courts. For the last three years, I was deputy chief editor of the sports section.
I moved to Hawaii with my family about 18 months ago. Why is a difficult question for me. I moved here with my wife and two daughters, 6 and 2 years old. They are so cute. They like it here. My goal was to live and work in Hawaii. But it's too expensive here, though Japan is expensive, too.
Part of my job is to go to Waikiki and interview Japanese tourists.
I ask them things like their name and age, the total budget for their trip, the number of times they've been to Hawaii, and the part of Japan they are from. I ask for their food budget and their tour budget. I ask them to rate the hotel where they're staying -- five stars is the top rating -- and for comments, good or bad. I ask them to rate restaurants the same way. Additionally, I always ask Japanese visitors for comments about Hawaii and for their overall itinerary.
I'd say the numbers of Japanese tourists are down about 20 percent to 30 percent from normal. The ones who are here are enjoying themselves.
It is about 50-50 between new visitors and ones who have been here before.
Since March 19, I have been asking "Were you worried about the war in Iraq and SARS when you came to Hawaii?" I think they are very important questions for us and Hawaii.
We put the poll results on the Web site. I usually go down to Waikiki two times a week to do the interviews. We also put new stories on the Web site every day, including pictures, which I also take. It's hard work, but it's my job. It's not something to do because you enjoy it.
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