For Immediate Release: March 27, 2003
DBEDT Release News 03-13

Note: February 2003 Visitor Research Data can be viewed here.

Honolulu--Total visitor days for February 2003 rose 4.8 percent compared to the same month last year, according to data released by DBEDT today. The increase was due to a longer average length of stay by visitors who came during the month (+5.0% to 9.86 days) and a growth in international visitor arrivals which partially offset a decline in the domestic market.

"The uncertainty of war has now halted the continuous growth in domestic arrivals that began in May 2002," said DBEDT Director Theodore E. Liu. "However, the February data continue to reflect a rebound from the double digit losses in international visitor arrivals experienced in February 2002.

"Looking forward, we might expect that visitor activities will slow during the next few months as the conflict plays out," Liu said. "In the long run, we believe that Hawaii’s popularity and safe environment will attract visitors back to the islands."

Visitors Arriving on Domestic Flights

Domestic visitor days, compiled from flights originating in U.S. cities, grew 1.8 percent in February 2003 as a decrease in visitor arrivals (-4.7%) was offset by a longer average length of stay (+6.8% to 11.00 days).

The U.S. market, which accounted for 91.7 percent of all domestic visitors, dropped 5.4 percent from February last year. With the exception of visitor growth from New York (+2.8%) and the West North Central region (+2.5%), lower arrivals were reported from New England (-14.5%), the South Atlantic region (-14.1%), the East North Central region (-9.5%), the Middle Atlantic region (-5.9%), Mountain region (-5.6%), the East South Central region (-4.1%), the Pacific region (-3.7%) and the West South Central region (-0.6%).

Compared to the previous February, Molokai (+49.9%), Lanai (+4.1%) and Maui (+3.5%) experienced increases in domestic visitations while arrivals to Oahu (-12.7%), the Big Island (-5.3%) and Kauai (-3.0%) declined.

More domestic visitors were in the islands to visit friends and relatives (+33.4%), for incentive travels (+18.8%) and for other business (+14.0%), but fewer came for vacation (-0.6%), conventions (-19.8%) and corporate meetings (-12.3%) than in February 2002.

A new breakdown of visitors by purpose of trip was added this year. Data show that 11,211 visitors honeymooned in the islands, 3,858 got married while 3,995 attended or participated in sporting events during the month.

Repeat visitors comprised 69.0 percent of all domestic visitors to the islands, compared to 68.5 percent in the same month last year.

Visitors Arriving on International Flights

International visitor days, compiled from flights originating outside the U.S., rose 13.8 percent in February 2003 due to growth in visitor arrivals (+9.5%) and a longer average length of stay (+3.9% to 7.70 days).

Lanai (+102.0%), Oahu (+18.7%) and the Big Island (+1.3%) reported increased arrivals from international flights, but visitations to Kauai (-45.2%), Molokai (-3.9%) and Maui (-0.7%) declined compared to February a year ago.

The number of visitors who came to vacation (+7.3%), to visit friends and relatives (+43.5%), for corporate meetings (+152.1%), for incentives (+166.4%) and for government/military purposes (+140.2%) increased compared to last February. A total of 18,869 visitors honeymooned in the islands, 16,154 got married while 3,172 participated or attended sports events.

First time visitors comprised 49.2 percent of all international visitors during the month, up from 47.6 percent reported in February 2002.

Island Highlights

Compared to February a year ago, visitor arrivals increased on Molokai (+34.6%), Lanai (+18.2%) and Maui (+2.6%) but declined on Kauai (-13.3%), the Big Island (-3.5%) and Oahu (-0.4%).

Domestic visitors on Maui stayed the longest in February 2003 at 8.13 days (+6.7%), followed by Oahu at 7.99 days (+6.7%), the Big Island at 7.73 days (+6.0%), Kauai at 7.14 days (+4.4%), Molokai at 4.51 days (-38.0%) and Lanai at 3.50 days (-17.1%).

International visitors stayed the longest on Maui at 7.61 days (+36.9%), followed by Oahu at 6.08 days (+4.9%), the Big Island at 5.42 days (+3.4%), Kauai at 3.99 days (-35.5%), Molokai at 2.36 days (+29.6%) and Lanai at 2.36 days (+2.5%) compared to the previous year.

Visitor Characteristics

The total number of visitors who vacationed in the islands increased 2.0 percent in February 2003. More visitors also came to visitor friends and relatives (+34.3%), for corporate meetings (+7.8%) for incentives (+33.1%) for other business (+15.3%) and for government/military purposes (+29.7%). Honeymooners totaled 30,080 visitors for the month, 20,012 visitors came to get married and 7,167 participated or attended sporting events in Hawaii.

Hotels continue to be the main choice for lodging, accommodating 68.7 percent of all visitors during this February, up slightly by 0.3 percent compared to the same month last year. The number of visitors who stayed in condominium units (+2.7%), timeshare properties (+1.0%), with friends and relatives (+5.0%), and in bed and breakfast properties (+5.7%) also increased during the month.

Repeat visitors to Hawaii accounted for 62.7 percent of the total visitors during the month compared to 63.4 percent in February 2002.

Cruise Ship Visitors

A total of five cruise ships toured the islands during the month carrying 17,581 passengers, including those who arrived by air to board these ships and those who came with the ships. The number of passengers was 6.1 percent lower than in February 2002 when five cruise ships toured Hawaii with 18,729 passengers.

The passenger count for this February would have been much higher than the previous year had it not been for the cancellation of two trips by the 1,950-passenger Infinity cruise ship which was docked for repairs during the month.

Of the 17,581 cruise passengers who came this February, 59.9 percent were repeat visitors to the islands. Cruise visitors stayed an average of 7.08 days in Hawaii, of which 4.22 days were spent on their cruise and another 2.86 days were spent before and after their cruise was over.

U.S. West Visitors

A longer average length of stay by U.S. West visitors (+5.9% to 10.53 days) offset lower visitor arrivals (-4.1%) and contributed to a 1.5 percent growth in visitor days for February 2003.

A total of 171,124 U.S. West visitors were in the islands during the month, 80.2 percent of whom were repeat visitors, compared to 78.3 percent a year ago. More visitors came to visit friends and relatives (+42.9%), for other business (+14.4%), for incentives (+1.1%) and for government/military purposes (+7.3%) but fewer came for vacation (-1.0%), for conventions (-27.5%) and for corporate meetings (-8.5%) compared to last February. A total of 2,578 U.S. West visitors came for sporting events, 4,992 honeymooned here and 1,919 got married in Hawaii.

Molokai (+51.4%), Maui island (+5.0%) and Lanai (+3.6%) experienced growth in visitor arrivals from the U.S. West while visitations to Oahu (-12.7%), Kauai (-3.5%) and the Big Island (-3.5%) declined.

U.S. East Visitors

U.S. East visitor days in February 2003 rose 2.3 percent, as lower arrivals (-7.1%) were offset by a longer average length of stay (+10.0% to 11.65 days).

Nearly 59 percent of the 138,098 U.S. East visitors who came during the month have been to the islands before, compared to 57.5 percent in February 2002. Visitors here to visit friends and relatives (+30.1%), for incentives (+32.9%), for government/military purposes (+12.1%) and for other business (+9.0%) increased over last February. There were 5,441 honeymooners in the islands from the U.S. East. In addition 1,783 came to get married and 1,229 attended or participated in sporting events.

Japanese Visitors

A 9.1 percent growth in visitor arrivals contributed to increased Japanese visitor days (+8.2%) in February 2003. The average length of stay of those who came during the month was slightly shorter (-0.8%) at 5.81 days. A total of 120,488 Japanese visited the islands. Of these, 52.7 percent were first time visitors, up from 48.0 percent in February 2002.

More Japanese visitors stayed in hotels (+9.7%) than in condominium properties (-2.6%), in timeshare (-59.6%) or with friends and relatives (-27.9%) compared to the same month last year.

Vacationing Japanese visitors rose 7.2 percent from last February. Those here for government/military business (+116.8%), for other business (+73.2%) and for corporate meetings (+142.7%) also increased but fewer came for conventions (-47.5%), incentives (-77.0%) or to visit friends and relatives (-11.0%). A total of 17,762 Japanese visitors honeymooned in the islands, 15,744 got married, while 2,835 attended or participated in sporting events.

Canadian Visitors

Total Canadian visitor days grew 20.2 percent in February 2003 due to a 14.2 percent growth in visitor arrivals and a longer length of stay (+5.2% to 13.70 days). Of the 32,082 Canadian visitors who came this during the month, 63.6 percent were repeat visitors compared to 64.6 percent a year ago.

Arrivals surged on Lanai (+89.8%), Oahu (+51.7%), Molokai (+37.3%), Maui Island (+28.2%) but declined on Kauai (-41.4%), and the Big Island (-23.4%) compared to February 2002.

More Canadians were here to vacation (+18.5%), to visit friends and relatives (+24.2%) and for incentives (+55.2%), while fewer came for conventions (-59.6%) and corporate meetings (-46.0%) during the month. A total of 768 Canadians honeymooned in the islands, while 280 came to get married.

For more information, contact:
Dave Young
Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov