Daily spending by visitors who flew to Hawai'i from the four major market areas rose by 1.2 percent to $158 per person in 2007 from 2006, the state reported yesterday.

Daily spending by visitors from Canada posted the biggest increase, rising 5.5 percent to $151 per person, according to the report from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Visitors from the U.S. East increased their spending by 2.9 percent to $186, visitors from the U.S. West increased their spending by 1.2 percent to $158 per person, and visitors from Japan increased their spending by 1 percent to $269 per person.

By category, the biggest increase was in transportation, with spending rising by 14 percent to $19.10 per person. Spending on lodging rose 4 percent to $66.70 per person.

Spending on food and beverage rose 5.8 percent to $33.80 per person. Spending on shopping fell 2.4 percent to $20.10, while spending on entertainment and recreation fell 0.7 percent to $14.90.

Visitors from Japan, who are traditionally the biggest spenders among the visitor groups, tightened their purse strings in some areas. The amount they spent on shopping fell 3.9 percent to $94.90 per person.