Posted at 10:53 a.m., Tuesday, February 28, 2006
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Visitor arrivals still setting records
Advertiser Staff
A record number of visitors traveled to Hawai'i in January and spent $1 billion, a nearly 10 percent increase in spending from the same month a year ago, the state reported today.The 595,753 visitors who came to the Islands were a record for the month and represented a 3.9 percent increase from January 2005, the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism reported. Strong growth from Canadian and domestic arrivals offset a decline in international arrivals, mainly from Japan.
Average daily spending increased to $169 per person from $160 a year earlier. The cruise industry continued to make a big impact on the tourism market, with a nearly 60 percent increase the number of visitors arriving to board one of Hawai'i's home-ported cruise ships.
Pacific Rim Bank to open its doors Friday
The latest entry to Hawai'i's banking industry will be open its doors Friday.
Pacific Rim Bank will begin taking deposits and making loans at its Restaurant Row office after it holds its official opening ceremony Friday morning.
The bank, which will employ more than 15 workers, is the second local bank start-up in several decades. Ohana Pacific Bank, which caters to O'ahu's Korean-American community, recently received approval from state and federal regulators and is in the process of opening its offices near Ala Moana Center.
