Rain a pain for tour firms

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

Despite optimistic expectations for the visitor industry overall this winter, rainy weather can put a damper on sales for companies dependent on outdoor activities.

For many, yesterday's wet conditions meant fewer customers and more cancellations. The experience illustrates how local businesses offering everything from kayak rentals to lu'aus and helicopter rides are largely at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Paradise Helicopters had to cancel flights yesterday because of the weather, said employee Richard Potts.

"If it's really rainy, we don't want to go fly if people can't see anything," he said. The company usually has to cancel flights because of the weather maybe once or twice a month, he said.

"I've done it for so long it's just kind of the nature of the beast," Potts said. "Obviously if we're still on the ground we're losing money, but it's just kind of the way it goes."

Tour boat companies including Dolphin Excursions Hawaii and Ocean Joy Cruises cancelled tours yesterday because of the high surf conditions and the rain.

"Everybody shut down at Ko Olina," said Robert Sheetz, an associate of Ocean Joy Cruises, which offers snorkeling, whale-watching and dolphin-watching tours. "It's not good conditions. Most of the tours out here put people in the water snorkeling, and you just can't do it in these conditions. It's too rough."

When tours are canceled, "there's zero income and you still have people on payroll," he said. "So this time of year, through January and February where it's like this, it hurts significantly," he said. "It just happens and you kind of hunker down and get through it."

Atlantis Adventures continued its submarine tours, despite the rain. Loreen Matsushima, Atlantis publicist, said: "Our trolleys have been full."

Yesterday's lu'au at Paradise Cove was canceled because of the rain, said controller Norman Kaneshige. Many hourly employees such as performers and servers do not get paid when there's a cancellation. One lu'au can generate about $30,000 in gross sales, so Kaneshige is reluctant to cancel.

"We look at the National Weather Service, and we play it by ear from there," he said. "The problem occurs when it's iffy. As an example, we canceled one day (early in the afternoon when) it was pouring and at 5 the sun was out, everything dried up. And it goes in reverse, too. We might have a nice morning and in the evening it pours so we have to cancel at the last minute."

The worst case scenario happened last month, when it began raining in the middle of the lu'au. Paradise Cove had to not only cancel the lu'au but had to refund customers and pay for employees, transportation and food.

But not everybody hurts when the weather is gloomy.

The Bishop Museum's admission area was packed with people yesterday, said Ann Wharton, the museum's marketing director.

"Museums love rainy days," Wharton said. The museum sees about a 30 percent increase in visitors on rainy days, she said, largely from the Mainland market, she said.

"I think people who have plans to go to the beach ... or planning on those outdoor activities, this is a good option for them."

When it rains, the Polynesian Cultural Center brings its outdoor shows and activities inside, said marketing director Ray Magalei.

"We're well prepared for it," he said. The center sees a little dip in attendance on rainy days, but that's usually made up in the days after.

"If it rains for a week at a time, then we would see a dip more," he said. "If it rains for a day or two we usually see a shift — people coming back another day."

Rain usually slows snorkeling activities at Hanauma Bay, but many tourists — especially those with a limited stay — are still up for it, said Randy Souza, a receptionist with Hanauma Bay Snorkeling Excursions & Shuttle with Tommy's Tours.

"Like today, even though it's raining, they're still going out," she said yesterday. "If they're looking to relax and sunbathe, then of course today's not the day, but if they're going to go snorkeling they're going to get wet anyway."

Advertiser staff writer Wayne Harada contributed to this report. Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 535-2470.