For Immediate Release: September 4, 2003
DBEDT Release News 03-42

Honolulu--Hawaii's cruise ship industry continued to expand during the first half of 2003 with increases in the number of out-of-state cruise visitors from all major market areas, according to data released by DBEDT today.

There were 134,116 out-of-state cruise visitors who came by air to board cruise ships or who came with cruise ships that toured Hawaii, up 16.7 percent compared to the first half of 2002.

These passengers were aboard 30 Hawaii-home-ported and out-of-state cruise ships which made 75 tours around the state in the first half of 2003, compared to 28 ships that made 66 tours carrying 118,515 passengers during the same period last year.

Daily on shore spending by out-of-state visitors also increased from $92 per person to $96 per person, while daily on shore spending by Hawaii resident cruise passengers rose from $37 per person to $51 per person.

"Nearly 85 percent of the cruise visitors during the first half of this year were from the U.S. mainland, which contributed to the strong performance of our domestic market," said Tourism Liaison, Marsha Wienert.

Total out-of-state cruise visitors now comprise about 4.3 percent of all our visitors to the islands compared to 3.6 percent in calendar year 2002 and 2.4 percent in 2001.

Out-of-State Cruise Visitors

Point of Origin and Island Visitation

Of the 134,116 out-of-state visitors aboard cruise ships in the islands, over half (74,629 visitors) were from the U.S. East, up 15.8 percent from the first half of 2002. The second largest group of cruise visitors was from the U.S. West (+7.5% to 38,836 visitors), followed by those from Canada (+35.6% to 9,239 visitors), Europe (+31.4% to 2,997 visitors) and All Other markets (+59.6% to 8,415 visitors).

By the nature of the cruise routes, these visitors went to most of the neighbor islands. All visited Oahu, 97.8 percent visited Maui, 95.9 percent visited the Big Island and 95.3 percent visited Kauai during the first half of 2003. In addition to their cruise itinerary, a total of 2,611 visitors went to Lanai while 2,028 visited Molokai during the period. Compared to the first half of 2002 all of the islands experienced double digit increases in arrivals from out-of-state cruise visitors led by Molokai (+83.2%), Lanai (+55.0%), Kauai (+22.5%), Maui (+19.7%), the Big Island (+19.6%) and Oahu (+16.7%).

Over half (59.2%) of the visitors in the first half of 2003 have been to the islands before compared to 60.7 percent in the same period last year. Repeat visitors comprised the majority of the visitors from the U.S. West (77.3%) and Canada (64.9%). In contrast there were more first time visitors from Europe (69.3%) and the U.S. East (50.3%) than repeat visitors year-to-date.

Close to 83 percent of the out-of-state visitors cruised the islands for leisure, 8.2 percent visited friends and relatives, 3.6 percent were on their honeymoon while 3.3 percent played golf.

Length of Stay and Type of Accommodation

The total average length of stay by out-of-state cruise visitors in the first half of 2003 was 7.27 days, up from 6.78 days by visitors who came in the same period last year. In addition to the average 4.50 days spent aboard ship touring the islands and the 1.08 days spent on shore after their cruise was over, visitors who arrived in Hawaii by air during the first half of 2003 stayed an average of 1.69 days in Hawaii before their cruise.

Visitors from the Other markets spent the most time in the islands at 8.73 days (7.27 days in the first half of 2002). Their average length of cruise was 4.44 days and they also spent 1.93 days on shore after their cruise was over. The average length of stay by European visitors was 8.13 total days (7.68 days in the first half of 2002), of which 4.39 days were spent on ship and 1.83 days were spent post cruise. Canadian cruise visitors spent 7.45 total days in Hawaii (7.28 days in first half of 2002), their average length of cruise was 4.54 days and 1.23 days were spent in the islands after the cruise. U.S West visitors spent an average of 7.29 total days in the state (6.78 days in the first half of 2002), 4.49 days aboard ship and 1.16 days after cruise. The average length of stay by U.S. East visitors was 7.03 days (6.64 days in the first half of 2002), 4.51 days of which were spent on ship and 0.89 days spent after the cruise was over.

Only 41,679 visitors or 31.1 percent of the total out-of-state cruise visitors, stayed exclusively on cruise ship in the first half of 2003. The remaining majority of the visitors spent extra nights in Hawaii either before or after their shipboard cruises and also stayed in other accommodations. Close to 64 percent chose to stay in hotels. Other types of lodging used by cruise visitors during their extra nights included condominiums (3.9%), timeshare properties (3.4%) and staying with friends and relatives (2.6%).

The U.S. West had the highest percentage of visitors who stayed overnight only on cruise ships at 38.7 percent, followed by Canada (35.0%), the U.S. East (28.4%), the Other markets (21.9%) and Europe (12.5%).

Cruise Visitor Expenditures

The average daily spending by out-of-state cruise visitors in the first half of 2003 increased to $96 per person while on shore in Hawaii. This amount is comprised of tour costs and other on-land expenditures such as lodging, food and beverages, entertainment, shopping, transportation and souvenirs.

Daily spending by visitors from Europe (-4.0%) and the Other markets (-3.7%) declined while visitors from Canada (+8.3%), the U.S. East (+7.4%) and the U.S. West (+0.1%) spent more compared to those who came in the first half of 2002.

The average daily spending by U.S. East cruise visitors was the highest at $104 per person, followed by visitors from Canada ($92 per person), the Other markets ($87 per person), Europe ($84 per person), and the U.S. West ($83).

U.S. East, U.S. West and Canadian cruise visitors spent more on shore tours than on shopping and food and beverages in the first half of 2003. In contrast, European cruise visitors surveyed spent a higher proportion of their daily expenditure on shopping than on shore tours and food and beverages.

Canadian visitors spent the most on lodging, followed by those from Europe, the Other markets, U.S. East and U.S. West.

Technical Note: Due to their small sample size, separate cruise visitor characteristics and expenditure data were not available for Japan, China, Latin America, or Australia which were combined in the Other market category.

A total of 3,068 Hawaii residents boarded cruise ships touring the islands during the first half of 2003, 14 percent less than the same period last year. All of these resident cruise passengers stopped on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island.

The average length of cruise by these Hawaii residents was 4.04 days similar to the first half of 2002. Nearly 82 percent of the residents cruise the islands for leisure, 11.4 percent visited friends or relatives, 3.6 percent played golf, 3.1 percent were on business and 1.8 percent were on their honeymoon.

Resident cruise passengers' daily spending was $51 per person in the first half of 2003, about half the total spent by visitors from out-of-state. Of this amount, $17 per person per day on spent on shore tours, $11 per person on shopping and $5 per person on food and beverage.

For more information, contact:
Marsha Wienert, Tourism Liaison
Phone: (808) 586-2362
Email: marsha.wienert@hawaii.gov

Dave Young
Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov