Tourism numbers remain on upswing

The extra day in February and a gain in air seats pushed up total visitor spending by 8.5 percent and total arrivals by 5.6 percent, continuing a trajectory that could help Hawaii’s visitor industry realize its best year since 2007.

Some 626,367 visitors came to Hawaii last month and spent $1.09 billion, or about $183 per person per day, according to preliminary statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. February was the seventh consecutive month of arrivals growth for Hawaii’s visitor industry and the 23rd month of spending rises.

Even without the Feb. 29 leap day, the month’s average daily visitor census would have been 2.5 percent above the prior year, and spending would have been $1.06 billion, which was 4.7 percent higher than February 2011. The monthly performance contributed to an 11.4 percent increase in visitor expenditures to $2.4 billion for the first two months of 2012 and a 6.7 percent rise in arrivals to nearly 1.27 million visitors.

"We are happy that the momentum for our tourism economy remains strong. At this pace we are not only exceeding our year-over-year expenditures, but will surpass the peak year of 2007 and are currently ahead of the aggressive targets set for 2012," said Mike McCartney, HTA president and CEO.

While the numbers are heading in the right direction, the challenge for many in Hawaii’s visitor industry is that expenses are keeping up with the increases, said Jerry Gibson, area vice president for Hilton Hawaii.

"We are very fortunate that Hawaii is one of the best tourism markets in our nation, and we are forecasting a good first half of the year. However, it would be extraordinarily difficult to achieve the levels of 2007," Gibson said. "I don’t think we’ll catch up to the revenues, and certainly the expenses have increased to the point that we couldn’t overtake them."

Shipping and energy costs at Hilton Hawaiian Village, the world’s largest Hilton and the largest hotel in the state, have doubled in the last three years, he said. The hotel’s water bill also has increased more than 25 percent, and its labor costs have grown about 12 percent, Gibson said.

But it’s a good sign that the hotel’s average daily rate and occupancy have crept up in January, February and March and that food and beverage purchases are rising, he said.

"Starbucks is a good indication," Gibson said. "They are there buying the $5 coffee."

Every island except Molokai realized February spending gains, according to HTA statistics. Total spending by visitors from the U.S. East dropped by 1.9 percent; however, visitors coming from the U.S. West, Canada, Japan, cruise ships and other markets spent more last month than they did during February 2011.

Visitors spent 6.8 percent more on lodging, 5.8 percent more on food and beverage and 4.1 percent more on shopping, said Daniel Nahoo­pii, HTA director of tourism research.

A 5.8 percent increase in air seats contributed to February’s gains. The number of domestic visitors who came by air rose 2.9 percent to 409,099, while international visitors who flew here increased 10.2 percent to 199,682. About 65.9 percent of Hawaii’s February visitors had come here before.

Elizabeth Gorgees, a visitor from Chicago, said that she first caught the magic of Oahu when she vacationed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village as a child. This week she recaptured those memories and made new ones with her husband and keiki.

"I remembered Hilton Hawaiian Village as a good vacation and Hawaii as one of the most beautiful places," Gorgees said.

Love also was a popular reason to come to Hawaii in February as indicated by a 26.1 percent year-over-year gain in honeymooners to 38,263 visitors. Similarly, visitors who got married grew by 6.5 percent to 10,507. That trend is going strong this month, too. Martina Brodere of Sacramento, Calif., fell in love with Hawaii long before she met Robert Vinson, the man who will become her husband today.

"I knew that I wanted to come to Hawaii," Brodere said.

While romance was trending last month, the number of travelers who came for a meeting, a convention or an incentive trip fell by 16.8 percent.

However, Hawaii has lots to offer business travelers, said Allison Connelly of Seattle, who was on Oahu this week for the Pacific Institute of Nursing Conference, which attracted about 300 global attendees.

"We like the friendliness of Hawaii and the idea of going to a place where you can work and play," Connelly said.