EVA Air to resume
Taiwan flights

The carrier plans to fly to Honolulu
three times a week after pulling out
after 9/11

The re-entry of another carrier offering thrice-weekly, nonstop service from Taipei, Taiwan, to Honolulu will provide another opportunity for Hawaii to cash in on Asia's lucrative travel market, visitor industry officials said yesterday.

EVA Air announced yesterday that it will launch service on June 25 from Taipei's Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport with flights to Honolulu offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Flight time is approximately 10 hours each way.

Since the travel market within Asia is thriving and Hawaii is an extremely attractive destination for honeymooners, groups and many vacationers, the Honolulu route is expected to be one of EVA's busiest during the coming summer travel season, EVA Air said.

The company also is expected to offer travel packages that will include the Big Island and Maui as well as Hawaii attractions.

The Taiwan travel market to Hawaii peaked in 1992, when 88,200 visitors came to the state, and the numbers have dwindled since the Asian financial crisis and 9/11, said Frank Haas, the Hawaii Tourism Authority's marketing director.

"Last year, we had 16,200 visitors from Taiwan. The market used to be four and a half times that size, so we've still got a lot of room to grow," Haas said. The decline in travelers has been largely attributed to visa issues and the volume of air seats.

Visitors from Asia, excluding Japan, stayed an average 9.7 days in Hawaii and spent $176.20 per person per day in 2003, Haas said.

Both EVA Air and its primary competitor for this market, China Air, pulled out of Hawaii following 9/11, but China Air came back last year, said Chris Kam, director of market trends for the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau.

EVA's service will bring an additional 18,000 air seats to Hawaii this year, which when coupled with air seats already offered by China Air could result in roughly 48,000 seats in 2005, said Kam said.

"This year could be the best year that we've had since 2000, when both EVA Air and China Air were operating and we had 75,574 seats," he said.

While the new flight presents opportunities for growth, issues with getting visas remain for some visitors, Haas said.

However, the addition of more air seats will spur travel sellers to help visitors get their documents more promptly, said state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert. "This is a huge step for us in growing that market," she said.