FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
A study by a California-based research company showed that Hawaii hasn't told its story to its key visitor markets in terms of the state's culture or history. Above, a Polynesian dancer performed aboard the Star of Honolulu sunset dinner cruise out of Honolulu Harbor earlier this year.
Hawaii tourism
marketing reveals
gaps, study showsJapanese visitors see the isles
as Waikiki and shopping and
don't pay much attention
to state culture or history
Hawaii remains a top destination for Japanese and U.S. West visitors, but not for travelers in the U.S. East, where the bulk of travelers say they aren't likely to visit here, according to a study on the effectiveness of the state's $35 million-a-year tourism marketing efforts.
The study, based on two surveys of more than 1,300 recent travelers by California-based NFO Plog Research, found benefits and shortcomings of the efforts of the nonprofit Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, which markets the state.
A marketing committee of the state Hawaii Tourism Authority discussed the report yesterday. In July, the authority's board removed the bureau from marketing Hawaii to countries outside the United States, an unprecedented move that is to take effect next year. The bureau will continue to market Hawaii to North America, and to business travelers.
NFO Plog conducted the survey in the first half of this year, and will continue to do the surveys each quarter. The survey's cost to the state this year is $200,000.
The survey specifically covers the markets of the U.S. West, U.S. East and Japan, which represent 40.7 percent, 27.9 percent and 18.2 percent of Hawaii visitors this year, respectively. Combined, the three markets account for nearly 87 percent of visitors to the islands.
The survey identified specific gaps in Hawaii's tourism marketing efforts. For example, Japanese visitors did not view the islands as having an intriguing culture or history. "We've been promoting it as Waikiki Beach and shopping," said Frank Haas, tourism marketing director of the tourism authority.
The revelations in the study will give the state the opportunity to tell its story better to Hawaii's key visitor markets, Haas said. The tourism authority sees it largely as an issue of perception.
Despite a drop-off in the number of Japanese visitors to Hawaii since the late 1990s, Hawaii remains a top destination for the Japanese, beating Europe, Australia, China, Korea and Guam, and those Japanese who have been to Hawaii want to come back, the survey showed.
"We're so well positioned in that market," said Sharon Weiner, chairwoman of the HTA's marketing committee, and group vice president of Japanese retailer DFS Hawaii.
However, when it comes to getting on a flight to the islands, Japanese visitors are, for now, uncommitted to traveling, the survey indicated.
The survey is highly detailed. When compared to China and Thailand, Hawaii is more often seen by Japanese travelers as having a clean environment, being safe, being good for family and having different types of places to stay. But Australia matched or beat Hawaii in the realm of perception, and got higher marks for having unique scenery and a unique experience.
Hawaii's weakest showing was in the U.S. East. In the late 1980s, the U.S. East was the source of nearly as many Hawaii visitors as the U.S. West.
The survey found that today's U.S. East travelers are more likely to pick Florida, California, the Caribbean and Europe over Hawaii, in that order. Predictably, the ease of travel here was a major perception problem, as was value of the dollar spent here.
On the other hand, 91 percent of U.S. East travelers surveyed in the second quarter said they were very or extremely pleased with their last trip to Hawaii.
The survey revealed some generally strong traits in Hawaii's visitors, who have higher incomes than other travelers, and are more likely to travel. The survey also appears to validate a hypothesis of the Hawaii visitors bureau, that if first-time visitors come here, they'll want to come back.
