Posted on: Thursday, May 15, 2003

Waikiki remains anchor of tourism

Advertiser Staff

The state's visitor industry may be more geographically dispersed than in past decades, but Waikiki remains the heart of Hawai'i's tourism industry, according to a report released yesterday.

Bounded by the Ala Wai Canal and Kapahulu Avenue, the state's tourism center accounts for 8 percent of Hawai'i's total economic output and 10 percent of private-sector jobs, reported the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

The report is the first in a series that will look into the economic effect of the state's various resorts, which increasingly are allowing the Neighbor Islands to share in the wealth of the $10.3 billion visitor industry.

Despite an increase in popularity of other destinations such as Maui, Waikiki remains the anchor of the tourism industry by attracting 72,000 visitors, or 44 percent of all visitors present in the state on any day, according to the report.

Including the Kapahulu area, the Waikiki area had 1,600 businesses, 30,000 workers and a payroll of more than $800 million in 2000.