DBEDT Release 06-33

TOTAL VISITOR EXPENDITURES REACH $951.9 MILLION IN OCTOBER

Year-to-date Total Visitor Expenditures increased

3.4 percent to $9.9 Billion

Note: OCTOBER 2006 Visitor Research Data can be viewed at: www.hawaii.gov/dbedt

HONOLULU – According to preliminary data released today by the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), total visitor spending for the first 10 months of the year grew 3.4 percent to $9.9 billion, while total visitor expenditures for the month of October reached $951.9 million, slightly below (-.1%) the October record achieved in 2005.

Total expenditures by U.S. East visitors declined (-4.2%) but spending by U.S. West (+9.1%), Japanese (+.6%) and Canadian (+9.5%) visitors increased for the month of October. The average daily spending by all visitors was $190 per person, up from $182 per person in October 2005.

Total visitor days declined 4.6 percent from October 2005 as total arrivals dipped 3.7 percent. Among the top four visitor markets, the U.S. East (-4.1%) and Japan (-11.4%) markets saw decreases while arrivals from the U.S. West (+2.2%) and Canada (+1.1%) increased. The average length of stay by all visitors in the islands was 8.75 days down from 8.84 days a year ago.

Total visitor days (-.3%) and total arrivals (-.2%) year-to-date through October were slightly down from the record high achieved in the same period last year. Domestic arrivals increased 2.3 percent to a new ten-month record of 4,552,457 visitors while international arrivals declined 6.6 percent. Arrivals from Canada rose 9.1 percent but Japanese arrivals were 9.4 percent lower compared to the same period last year.

"Our visitor industry continues to perform well especially when compared to last year's exceptional results," said State Tourism Liaison, Marsha Wienert. "The October 15 earthquake may have had a short-term impact on visitor activity for the month, but we are optimistic that the visitor industry will continue to remain strong."

Kauai (+3.6%), the Big Island (+.7%), Lanai (+30.3%) and Molokai (+9.4%) reported increased visitor arrivals in October 2006. Total visitor spending rose on the Big Island (+16.2%), Kauai (+8.8%), Lanai (+92.5%) and Molokai (+13.1%) compared to October 2005.