Visitor spending from Japan is down in Hawaii this year amid a weakening of the yen.
But the state tourism industry has received some good news from a Japan Airlines forecast indicating the carrier will transport 11.6 percent more passengers during the Aug. 9-18 obon holiday season than a year ago.
Japan Airlines, now the country’s second-largest airline behind All Nippon Airways, said it expects to transport 32,192 passengers during the obon holidays. It also said the number of seats to Hawaii is up 16.8 percent over the same period a year ago. The airline typically offers six flights a day between Japan and Hawaii, including three from Narita International Airport in Tokyo and one each from Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.
Japan Airlines said during the obon period it will operate eight additional flights to Honolulu from various destinations as well as a chartered flight to Kona from Narita.
Hawaii island has been without scheduled flights from Japan since Japan Airlines ended service on Oct. 29, 2010, from Narita.
"We look forward to the possibility of exploring more service to Kona," said David Uchiyama, vice president of brand management for the Hawaii Tourism Authority. "We understand in the initial stages it will be more chartered service to Kona, and then we’re hoping we can re-establish scheduled service back to Kona."
The influx of passengers is crucial for the state’s leading industry, which has seen airlines reduce seat capacity for the second half of this year. Visitor arrivals to Hawaii from Japan — the state’s largest international market — were up 5.2 percent to 697,457 from 663,218 in the first six months of the year, while Japanese visitor spending was down 5.6 percent to $1.19 billion from $1.26 billion.
"We are very pleased with Japan Airlines’ steps that they are taking in (light) of the positioning of the yen as well as the cost of fuel, which is running in terms of oil about $105 a barrel," Uchiyama said.
