Hawaii’s visitor industry is gearing up for the 2012 Pro Bowl on Sunday, but uncertainty about whether the game will return next year has dampened some of the enthusiasm.

With the game six days away, the NFL and the Hawaii Tourism Authority remain locked in negotiations about the future of their more than 30-year relationship.

"We have enjoyed a wonderful partnership with the NFL, and we look forward to continuing this relationship as well as welcoming the NFL players, their families and all the fans for an exciting game on Sunday," said Mike McCartney, HTA president and chief executive.

Still, with so much doubt about the game’s return, some of the usual hoopla for the event is noticeably absent, said Mufi Hannemann, president of the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association and longtime Pro Bowl advocate.

"We’ve always had an agreement in place prior to the expiration of the current agreement," Hannemann said. "We don’t have it going into this game this weekend. Speculation is that it will be in New Orleans next year unless a miracle occurs and the state is able to forge an agreement."

While the $4 million the state pays the NFL to host the game has in the past made some HTA members balk and moved Gov. Neil Abercrombie to question its value, Hannemann said he and others in the visitor industry hope that tourism leaders can close the deal.

"Everyone likes permanence and longevity," he said. "It’s more difficult to make an investment in marketing if you don’t know what the potential is for these guests to return."

The Pro Bowl has long served as a major source of repeat visitor traffic, Hannemann said. Eighty-six percent of last year’s Pro Bowl visitors made the decision to attend the event before arriving in Hawaii, according to HTA data.

George Hoffman, a Hilton Hawaiian Village guest from Akron, Ohio, said that he has attended three Pro Bowls in Hawaii and is looking forward to seeing more of them.

"It’s nice that it’s in Hawaii because it’s a sporting event that people like to see, and it brings people here," Hoffman said. "I’d bet that at least a third of the attendees came here just to see it."

Last year there were 21,204 Pro Bowl visitors among the 49,331 attendees, according to the HTA. These visitors added $28.15 million to Hawaii’s economy and generated $3.07 million in state taxes, the authority said.

Although a limited number of seats remain available, ticket sales are going well, said Jon Rimmer, an NFL spokes­man.

"This year is on par with 2011, the first year that the Pro Bowl was played before the Super Bowl," said Jack Richards, president and chief executive officer for Pleasant Holidays LLC, an official NFL travel provider and Hawaii’s largest wholesaler.

More visitors would come if the event were returned to its original schedule after the Super Bowl, Richards said.

"Having the Pro Bowl a week before the Super Bowl makes a difference," he said. "This year the New England Patriots and the New York Giants are going to the Super Bowl, so that means that two of the top-ranked quarterbacks won’t be playing in Hawaii."

However, holding the event during January has the added advantage of bringing visitors during a typically slow period, said Barry Wallace, executive vice president of hospitality services for Outrigger Enterprises Group.

"The added visitors make more of a difference for us in January," Wallace said. "The gain isn’t as meaningful to us in February when we have Valentine’s Day to give us an added boost."

Regardless of its timing, the game is good for tourism, Richards said.

Vacation bookings and airline passengers are significantly higher now than they would be if the Pro Bowl weren’t being held here, he said.

"The Pro Bowl is fantastic for Hawaii businesses," said Rick Egged, president of the Waikiki Improvement Association.

Demand is strong and at times has kept isle tourism afloat, Egged said.

"After 9/11 Hawaii tourism suffered. I remember that we were full for the Pro Bowl, but Waikiki was empty the week before and the week after," he said. "That’s the best way that I know of to illustrate the event’s value."

But the value of the event goes beyond the number of spectators, McCartney said.

"Viewership in 2011 was up 42.6 percent over 2009, the last time the Pro Bowl was hosted in Hawaii, providing football fans across the nation an opportunity to see our beautiful, warm state during the typically cold winter months," he said.