Isle visitor arrivals continue downward - Hawaii Business

There's no bottom in sight for Hawaii's struggling visitor industry, which in May saw arrivals drop for the 15th straight month and visitor spending fall by 15 percent.

[Jim Campbell]

Giving value to visitors is the key to survival in this horrible economy. At Makani Catamaran, we considered trying to abate the increase in our costs by cutting some food and beverage items from our daily sails from the increasingly expensive Kewalo Basin. We decided against that approach as being short-sighted. As a result, our numbers are up over last year. Value must be the byword for all tourist dependant businesses.

[CEt]

A good shake out would result in less crowded beaches, more space for the locals, and a better quality of life for those that remain. There is much more to a great life than money.

[glenn paul]

Jim Campbell wrote:

Giving value to visitors is the key to survival in this horrible economy. At Makani Catamaran, we considered trying to abate the increase in our costs by cutting some food and beverage items from our daily sails from the increasingly expensive Kewalo Basin. We decided against that approach as being short-sighted. As a result, our numbers are up over last year. Value must be the byword for all tourist dependant businesses.

"Jim Campbell" A huge Aloha from Northeast PA. HAS ANYONE READ THEIR LAST COPY OF 'HAWAII MAGAZINE'? Talk about GREAT NEWS. The Maile Sky Copurt Hotel on Kuhio has an advertisment for a 1 month stay costing 975$. I called and talked to the sales manager and she stated that was the price...however...those rooms are sold out...however...they still have a limited number of rooms at $1100 including tax for 1 month. She sent me a letter with all the details. We have stayed at the Maile Sky Court. According to her letter, you are basically JUST renting the room. No maid service, bring your own sheets and towels, personal items, etc. BUT, AT $1100 for 1 month....HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG....AND, there are washers and dryersin the hotel. Just wanted to pass this on. Aloha from Northeast PA.

[StateTaxPayer]

I see a lot of Asians on cruise ships. They spend a lot of money. On my last cruise in Europe, about one third or 1000 passengers were Asians. Asians have the money and I guess Hawaii isn't on their radar. They are very demanding of good customer service, something that Hawaii doesn't have.

[glenn paul]

StateTaxPayer wrote:

I see a lot of Asians on cruise ships. They spend a lot of money. On my last cruise in Europe, about one third or 1000 passengers were Asians. Asians have the money and I guess Hawaii isn't on their radar. They are very demanding of good customer service, something that Hawaii doesn't have.

"StatetaxPayer", Have to totally disagree with you. We have been to 5 islands 4 times and never met anyone who did not have the ALOHA SPIRIT. Could it possibly be your attitude? Maybe you were demanding too much and expecting people to just bow down and thank you for coming. Spent 5 years in Europe.

[CCC]

glenn paul wrote:

<quoted text>"StatetaxPayer ", Have to totally disagree with you. We have been to 5 islands 4 times and never met anyone who did not have the ALOHA SPIRIT. Could it possibly be your attitude? Maybe you were demanding too much and expecting people to just bow down and thank you for coming. Spent 5 years in Europe.

Another ridiculous post....I have been to the islands 20+ times, and have seen the decline of the once very vibrant aloha spirit taken over by huge conglomerates, high end retail chains and high end restaurant chains, wake up Glenn Paul, just because you know how to say "aloha" and "mahalo" and repeat it every post you make, hoping it makes others feel like you are an authority within the islands, you are not, yes there are some good people, yes there is some aloha left if you look real hard, but gone are the days of the locally owned shops, locally owned eating establishments and the aloha spirit of the 70's and 80's replaced by ridiculous street vendors, human statues, Jimmy Buffet's, and the gong show of coupon handers along Kalakaua Blvd. You are either caught in a time warp or not completely all there if you don't run into this non hawaiian local culture drop off everywhere you go, I can see by your taste in cheap accommodations that you are not the type of visitor the islands is looking to attract, but you keep pretending to be a Hawaiian authority and tour guide if it makes you feel good. You sure your wife's name isn't "Alice" ?? Nobody wants to slam the islands, regular visitors are coming back for their own personal reasons, but going on about your never witnessing or being privy to the over commercialism that has ruined these great islands..makes you look plain uninformed and a moron!!!

[Really]

glenn paul wrote:

<quoted text>"StatetaxPayer ", Have to totally disagree with you. We have been to 5 islands 4 times and never met anyone who did not have the ALOHA SPIRIT. Could it possibly be your attitude? Maybe you were demanding too much and expecting people to just bow down and thank you for coming. Spent 5 years in Europe.

Perhaps your level of satisfaction acceptance is low. Being from PA, that could possibly be.

[wendell]

StateTaxPayer wrote:

I see a lot of Asians on cruise ships. They spend a lot of money. On my last cruise in Europe, about one third or 1000 passengers were Asians.

Asians have the money and I guess Hawaii isn't on their radar. They are very demanding of good customer service, something that Hawaii doesn't have.

Interesting observation.

I just think they feel Hawaii is not very special anymore. They come here and see Chanel, Gucci, Prada, etc., like in Beverly Hills (LA), Union Square (SF), 5th Avenue (NY), and even Tokyo.

I just fail to see why landlords, like BE/KS and QE Foundation, want these high end shops in Waikiki. Perhaps it's because visitors do buy overpriced stuff at these shops, but I can't understand why they would.

[Chris]

There was a lot of interesting data given here but its the next few months that will really tell the difference. I say that because if the drop for June looks like May's, then the total drop for a running 2 years would be over 20%. That's not even counting the lower spending per visitor now being experienced. Unemployment on the mainland is killing Hawaii tourism.

[Auntie Em]

The last time I came to the islands my rent a car was broken into resulting in the loss of clothes,
a wallet and other various items, this was in good times. The Police basically were very nonchalant about it like it happened every day and it probably did as the officer taking my report was on his way to another beach break in at Sandy's Beach Park.

It will be the last time I come all the way out to Hawaii to be robbed.

[ConnieLingle]

Lower the rates

[bumpercrop]

I you think Hawaii tourism is down now just wait till BO opens up Cuba to American tourists. Then Hawaii will really be toast. Quite frankly I can't wait to take a cruise to Havana. Hawaii has seems to havde driven away most of the cruise ships here.

[haro]

I used to come to Hawaii 2 times a year on the average. I'm now fed up with the bums, beggars and dopers in Waikiki.No one in charge seems to give a damn. I'm trying Thailand and PI this time

[Char Siu Bao Girl]

Dey no mo kala!!!!!!!!

[wendell]

haro wrote:

I used to come to Hawaii 2 times a year on the average. I'm now fed up with the bums, beggars and dopers in Waikiki. No one in charge seems to give a damn. I'm trying Thailand and PI this time

Hey, try Hanoi instead. Friend of mine just got back, spending a total of $1,500 for 5 days, including RT airfare for $800+.

Four star hotel, comparabe to a Holiday Inn, for $40 a night. Extra for girl.:-)

Cruised Halong Bay for 2 days for $100, including seafood buffets. Extra for girl.:-)

He had a great time.

[What the heck]

Although it is partially a victim of its own bad planning and greed I certainly wish the visitor industry well. But it doesn't do anyone any good to deliberately--seemingly--put the visitor arrival picture in the worst, most negative light.
I'm no statistician, but anyone can look at the arrival information provided in the article and reach some other conclusions besides "downward again" and "its not going to improve anytime soon." The figures show a different story.
Hawaii arrivals registered double digit losses from June 2008 through March 2009. But in the past two months the "arrival deficit" has been much less...1.3% and 6.9% respectively. And with the promising summer travel season in full swing we should expect this upward trend to continue.
Of course there are problems such as a decline in daily spending and others. But the same old "woe is me" attitude of
the industry is not justified by the stats, and is counterproductive.
C'mon guys. You're losing what little credibility you might have.

[The bottom line]

Homeless assaults on tourists!!!
High hotel prices for dumpy rooms!!!
Traffic Traffic Traffic!!!
Drunks and street fights on Kuhio!!!
Crime!!!

$$$ all going to the Bahamas and Florida now.

[huh]

Good news. Hotel tax goes up in a couple days month. Tourist loves paying more because it means higher quality.

Aloha Hard!!!!!!

[made in hawaii]

hawaii can no longer depend on tourism. due to the hard economic times, families are being more innovative and do things closer to home or places that are less expensive. hawaii needs to realize that tourism won't return as in the past. times have changed, people have changed. maybe if they offered some sort of gambling like las vegas, it may bring in more tourist but not offering anything new won't bring them back. invest in the children of hawaii. they are the future of hawaii.

[Wheeldog]

A recent article in a major financial newspaper reported that the savings rate for Americans has jumped dramatically. People are spending less and saving more. Even as the economic crisis eases a bit people are not returning to their old habits of spending beyond their means. This has enormous implications to the tourism industry in Hawaii. People are opting to vacation closer to home and to spend less in the process. Major airlines are cutting back on flights. Tour ships have sailed away from Hawaii. Even if (and that is a big IF) the economy recovers it is unlikely that the spending patterns of the past two decades will come back for a very long time - if ever. Treat the tourist who do come as welcome guests, because they are becoming and endangered specie.