State tourism rebound might not happen until '03

Advertiser staff

State officials predict it will take more than a year for Hawai'i tourism to fully recover from the impact of the terrorist attacks.

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism issued a forecast that said Hawai'i's top industry won't match pre-Sept. 11 visitor numbers until sometime in 2003.

Monthly visitor counts plummeted following the attacks, and 2001 is expected to see about 9 percent fewer tourists than 2000. Tourism next year should be about 3 percent higher, the department said.