For Immediate Release: June 26, 2003
DBEDT Release News 03-36

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

Honolulu--Hawaii's year-to-date total visitor days are now 6.5 percent higher compared to the same period last year due to a longer length of stay (+6.8% to 9.81 days) that negated a slight decrease in visitor arrivals (-0.3%), according to data released by DBEDT today.

Total visitor days by those who arrived in Hawaii by air during May 2003 was virtually unchanged (+0.1%) from the same month last year. Domestic arrivals (+1.7%) continued to increase while a longer average length of stay by total visitors who came to the islands during the month (+8.1% to 9.45 days) offset a decline in the international market (-28.6%).

Contributing to the domestic visitor strength was the National American Association of Orthodontists convention held May 2nd through the 6th. The convention attracted close to 17,000 orthodontists, students, technicians, exhibitors, staffers and family members to the State.

"We are very encouraged by the continued growth of the domestic sector and the contribution from the convention segment of the visitor market," said DBEDT Director Theodore E. Liu. "It is becoming evident that Hawaii is a very attractive and safe place both to visit and do business, especially in these turbulent times.

Our hope is that the success of events like these will result in return visitors and attract new conventioneers to the islands."

Visitors Arriving on Domestic Flights

Domestic visitor days, compiled from flights originating in U.S. cities, rose 5.5 percent in May 2003, due to a 1.7 percent increase in visitor arrivals and a longer average length of stay (+3.7% to 10.10 days). Year-to-date, domestic visitor days (+8.8%) and visitor arrivals (+3.0%) continued to surpass the same period last year.

The U.S. market, which accounted for 92.3 percent of all domestic visitors during the month, increased 2.7 percent from last May. Lower arrivals from Oregon (-0.8%), Washington (-1.3%), New England (-6.3%), the West South Central region (-3.5%) and the South Atlantic region (-2.2%), were offset by arrival growth from California (+3.2%), the Mountain region (+7.8%), the West North Central region (+8.7%), the East North Central region (+6.7%), the East South Central region (+11.5%) and the Middle Atlantic region (+6.1%).

Compared to last May, domestic arrivals increased on Maui (+8.9%), Molokai (+4.3%) and the Big Island (+3.9%) but declined on Lanai (-34.8%), Oahu (-7.6%) and Kauai (-2.4%). For the first five months of 2003, domestic visitations dropped on Oahu (-4.1%) but were higher on Molokai (+45.8%), Maui (+10.2%), Kauai (+3.1%), the Big Island (+3.0%) and Lanai (+2.4%).

More domestic visitors came for meetings, conventions and incentives (+20.4%), for vacation (+4.0%), to visit friends or relatives (+11.6%) and for other business (+19.9%) compared to the same month last year. Repeat visitors comprised 62.8 percent of all domestic visitors to the islands, versus 63.1 percent in May 2002.

A new breakdown of visitors by purpose of trip has been added this year. Data show that 28,624 domestic visitors honeymooned in the islands, 25,195 got married, while 1,373 attended or participated in sporting events this May. Year-to-date, 90,604 visitors came to honeymoon, 77,670 got married and 26,697 participated or attended sporting events in Hawaii.

Visitors Arriving on International Flights

International visitor days, compiled from flights originating outside the U.S., fell 18.8 percent in May 2003 due to a decline in visitor arrivals (-28.6%) which negated a longer average length of stay (+13.7% to 7.30 days). Year-to-date, lower visitor arrivals (-7.8%) offset a longer length of stay (+7.4% to 7.55 days) resulting in a 1.0 percent decrease in visitor days.

Except for growth in visitations to Molokai (+120.4%) and Lanai (+40.9%) all other islands reported lower international arrivals during the month. Visitor arrivals to Lanai (+87.4%) continued to increase on a year-to-date basis.

Repeat visitors accounted for 51.8 percent of all international visitors this May, up from 49.9 percent in the same month last year. Fewer international visitors came to vacation (-28.2%), for corporate meetings (-48.4%) and for other business (-12.7%) but more where here to visit friends and relatives (+67.0%), for conventions (+1.9%) and incentives (+94.7%) compared to May a year ago.

A total of 27,265 visitors honeymooned in the islands during the month, 13,572 got married while 1,876 participated or attended sports events. Year-to-date 126,920 visitors came to honeymoon, 72,788 got married and 11,975 participated or attended sports events.

Island Highlights

Compared to last May, visitor arrivals by air increased on Molokai (+19.5%), Maui (+4.2%)and the Big Island (+2.1%) but declined on Lanai (-27.9%), Oahu (-16.1%) and Kauai (-3.9%).

Domestic visitors during May 2003 stayed the longest on Oahu at 7.72 days (+5.3%), followed by Maui at 7.26 days (+6.3%), the Big Island at 6.56 days (+0.6%), Kauai at 6.54 days (+8.3%), Molokai at 4.36 days (+40.6%) and Lanai at 3.64 days (+12.7%).

International visitors also stayed the longest on Oahu at 6.11 days (+9.1%), followed by Maui at 5.56 days (+21.7%), Kauai at 5.19 days (+37.2%), the Big Island at 4.79 days (+11.9%), Molokai at 1.89 days (-83.0%) and Lanai at 1.76 days (-18.9%).

Year-to-date, visitations to Oahu (-5.9%) and Kauai declined (-0.5%) while arrivals on Molokai (+17.3%), Lanai (+11.9%), Maui (+8.5%) and the Big Island (+0.9%) rose.

Characteristics of Visitors Who Came by Air

The total number of visitors who vacationed in Hawaii during May 2003 decreased 4.9 percent compared the previous May. Fewer visitors also came to government/military purposes (-25.1%) and to attend school (-53.6%) but more were here to visit friends or relatives (+16.4%), to attend conventions (+19.9%), for incentives (+44.1%) and for other business (+14.7%).

A total of 55,889 visitors honeymooned in the islands during the month, 38,767 got married and 3,249 attended or participated in sporting events. Year-to-date, there were 217,524 honeymooners, 150,458 got married and 38,672 attended or participated in sporting events.

Hotels continue to be the primary choice for lodging, accommodating 66.6 percent of all visitors during the month, but the number of visitors who planned to stay in hotels fell 9.6 percent from the previous May. More visitors planned to stay in condominium units (+7.8%) and timeshare properties (+6.4%) compared to the same month last year.

Repeat visitors to Hawaii accounted for 60.2 percent of the total visitors during the month compared to 59.1 percent in May 2002. Year-to-date, Repeat visitors averaged 62.9 percent, up slightly from 62.7 percent in the same period last year.

U.S. West Visitors Who Came By Air

Increased visitor arrivals (+2.9%) and a longer average length of stay (+2.0% to 9.70 days) contributed to a 5.0 percent growth in U.S. West visitor days for May 2003. Year-to-date, visitor days increased 7.5 percent while visitor arrivals rose 2.5 percent from the previous year. The average length of stay was 10.33 days (+4.9%) on a year-to-date basis.

A total of 205,254 U.S. West visitors came to the islands during the month, 74.9 percent of whom were repeat visitors, compared to 73.9 percent a year ago. More visitors came to vacation (+4.5%), for meetings, conventions and incentives (+21.4%), to visit friends or relatives (+13.7%) and for other business (+23.4%) compared to May of the previous year.

A total of 12,365 U.S. West visitors honeymooned in the islands, 10,492 got married in Hawaii and 976 participated in or attended sporting events. Year-to- date there were 40,431 honeymooners, 33,546 got married and 14,073 were here for sporting events.

Molokai (+28.0%), Maui (+11.3%), the Big Island (+4.2%) and Kauai (+0.2%) experienced growth in visitor arrivals from the U.S. West this May. Except for Oahu (-6.8%) which reported lower U.S. West arrivals, visitations rose on Molokai (+68.1%), Lanai (+16.1%), Maui (+11.9%), Kauai (+4.6%) and the Big Island (+0.6%) on a year-to-date basis.

U.S. East Visitors Who Came By Air

U.S. East Visitor days jumped 12.7 percent in May 2003 due to growth in arrivals (+1.2%) and a longer average length of stay (+11.4% to 10.72 days). Year-to-date, U.S. East visitor days rose 11.5 percent while visitor arrivals increased 2.6 percent.

Of the 133,602 U.S. East visitors in the islands during the month, 52.9 percent were first time visitors compared to 51.2 percent from May of last year. Visitors who came for vacation (+2.9%), for meetings, conventions and incentives (+33.3%), to visit friends or relatives (+4.8%) and for other business (+20.9%) increased from last May. There were 14,044 honeymooners from the U.S. East. In addition 12,732 came to get married and 292 attended or participated in sporting events.

Maui (+8.1%), the Big Island (+6.4%) and Kauai (+0.4%) experienced arrival growth from the U.S. East during this May. Year-to-date visitations declined on Lanai (-6.6%) and Oahu (-2.0%) but rose on Molokai (+29.7%), Maui (+6.2%), the Big Island (+5.5%) and Kauai (+1.0%).

Japanese Visitors Who Came By Air

Japanese Visitor days declined 39.4 percent in May 2003 due to a 39.7 percent drop in visitor arrivals. The average length of stay by those who came during the month was 5.72 days (+0.6%). Year-to-date, visitor days were off by 14.4 percent while Japanese arrivals decreased 13.3 percent. The Average length of stay was 5.78 days compared to 5.85 days in the first five months of 2002.

A total of 71,836 Japanese visited the islands during the month, 52.6 percent of whom were repeat visitors compared to 51.5 percent in May 2002.

Fewer Japanese visitors came to vacation (-38.8%), for conventions (-29.3%) and corporate meetings (-36.3%), but more came to visit friends or relatives (+260.7%) and for incentives (+2,485%) compared to the same month last year. There were 24,881 Japanese honeymooners in Hawaii this May, 11,393 got married while 1,366 attended or participated in sporting events. So far this year, 116,507 Japanese visitors came to honeymoon, 64,174 got married and 8,158 came for sporting events.

Year-to-date Japanese arrivals decreased for all islands except Lanai.

Canadian Visitors Who Came By Air

Lower visitor arrivals (-2.9%) and a shorter length of stay (-4.7% to 12.31 days) resulted in a 7.5 percent drop in Canadian visitor days in May 2003. Year-to-date, Canadian visitor days increased 19.4 percent while visitor arrivals was 11.0 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

Over half (53.0%) of the 10,609 Canadian visitors during the month were repeat visitors compared to 56.5 percent last May.

Fewer Canadians were here to vacation (-4.1%), for corporate meetings (-73.0%) to visitor friends or relatives (-44.6%) and for other business (-51.2%), compared to May 2002. A total of 442 Canadians honeymooned in the islands, 335 came to get married and 354 participated in or attended sporting events. Year-to-date 2,610 Canadians came to honeymoon in the islands, 2,351 got married and 859 came for sporting events.

Canadian visitor arrivals increased on Oahu (+17.4%), and the Big Island (+28.0%) this May. Year-to-date, visitations increased on Lanai (+48.5%), Maui (+37.7%), Oahu (+5.8%) but declined on Molokai (-33.3%), the Big Island (-7.8%) and Kauai (-1.3%).

Cruise Ship Visitors

A total of seven cruise ships toured the islands in May 2003 carrying 28,144 passengers, including those who arrived by air to board these ships and those who came with the ships. The number of passengers was 11.9 percent higher compared to last May when six cruise ships toured Hawaii with 25,155 passengers.

Of the 28,144 cruise passengers who came this May, 59.6 percent were repeat visitors to the islands. Cruise visitors stayed an average of 6.88 days in Hawaii, of which 4.62 days were spent on their cruise and another 2.26 days were spent before and after their cruise was over.

The majority (83.4%) of the passengers cruised Hawaii for leisure, 6.8 percent visited friends or relatives, 5.0 percent were on their honeymoon and 3.8 percent played golf.

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