Isle meetings
increase 12 percent
Despite competition from rival destinations and a trend toward shrinking corporate travel budgets, Hawaii's meetings industry experienced a 12 percent year-over-year increase in 2003 and officials are predicting bigger returns this season.
Meeting and incentive traffic in 2003 produced $248.7 million in visitor spending and $20.7 million in tax revenues, said Michael Murray, director of sales for the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau's corporate meetings and incentives division.
"The visitor spending created by Hawaii's meetings industry has a powerful impact that ripples throughout the state, helping to support numerous ancillary businesses on all islands that service groups with transportation, food, retail goods and activities throughout their stay," Murray said.
Last year, Hawaii received 485,826 visitors for meetings, conventions and incentives. Convention traffic increased 13.5 percent, corporate meetings increased 7 percent and incentive travel rose 19.1 percent, according to figures from the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
The HVCB confirmed 383 bookings for 2003, which resulted in 234,888 hotel room nights. The bureau also reported 1,136 qualified hotel leads, which represented a potential 795,651 hotel room nights.
Approximately a third of these qualified leads resulted in confirmed bookings, a high conversion rate by industry standards, Murray said. It typically takes from 12 to 24 months to turn qualified bookings into confirmed trips.
The fast-paced momentum of 2003 is expected to carry over into 2004, Murray said.
"Hawaii is proving its value as a meetings destination that satisfies client objectives and is a great return on investment," he said.
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau