Posted on: Friday, May 27, 2005
Fewer April tourists spend more
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
Hawai'i welcomed fewer tourists last month but they spent more, according to state figures released yesterday.
Some 531,342 people visited Hawai'i in April, down 3.1 percent from the same month last year, according to data by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. However, total spending rose 2.8 percent to $769.9 million.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser Meanwhile, a separate survey found that higher room demand on O'ahu helped push up statewide hotel occupancy in April, while Neighbor Island properties posted declines.
Overall visitor days last month fell 4.4 percent and the average length of stay dropped 1.3 percent.
U.S. West visitor arrivals in April fell 7.6 percent to 225,179, while the number of U.S. East visitors declined 3.5 percent to 130,961. But Mainland visitors spent more during their stay here compared to April 2004.
Japan arrivals grew 1.2 percent to 106,012. Canadian tourists totaled 15,677, an increase of 29 percent over April last year.
The Big Island and Moloka'i saw visitor arrival increases of 2.1 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively. Fewer tourists visited O'ahu (-0.9 percent), Kaua'i (-3.8 percent), Maui (-8.7 percent) and Lana'i (-6.4 percent).
About 25,245 people arrived here by cruise ship or flew here for cruise ship tours of the Islands last month, up 8 percent over April 2004.
A year-over-year comparison shows more people visited Hawai'i for conventions, corporate meetings and honeymoons. Fewer people flew here for vacation.
Hotels statewide were 75.3 percent full, up 1.1 percentage points over the previous April, according to hotel consultancy Hospitality Advisors LLC. O'ahu hotel occupancy grew 5 percentage points to 76.5 percent.
But hotel occupancy on the Neighbor Islands slipped. Maui occupancy fell to 77.7 percent from 80.6 percent, the Big Island dropped 3.3 percentage points to 67.5 percent, and Kaua'i declined 1.7 points to 74.7 percent.
Statewide average daily rates rose to $157.83 from $153.59 and revenue per available room grew 4.2 percent to $118.81.
All islands saw higher average daily rates except for the Big Island, which fell to $169.51 from $171.94. O'ahu was the only island that enjoyed higher revenue per available room.
Occupancy at luxury and upscale properties statewide dropped compared to April 2004, while hotels in the midprice, economy and budget sectors were fuller. Average daily rates for all categories grew.
The hotel survey, compiled by Smith Travel Research with Hospitality Advisors, averages more than 144 properties representing about 48,959 rooms reporting, or 78 percent of all lodging properties with 20 rooms or more in the state, including full-service, limited service and condominium hotels.
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 535-2470.
State tourism liaison Marsha Wienert attributed the decline in Mainland arrivals to an earlier spring break this year in March. Last year's spring break was in April, which skews comparisons year over year, she said. She said combined domestic visitor arrivals for March and April were up 4.8 percent over the same two months last year.
Although the number of visitors to O'ahu dipped last month compared to April 2004, hotel occupancy grew to 76.5 percent.
