Data shows 2008 was a bad year for Hawaii tourism

HONOLULU - Hawaii's largest industry took a big hit in 2008, with a double-digit decline in the number of visitors coming to the islands.

A 16.5 percent decrease in December arrivals capped a year that saw 6.8 million tourists — a 10.8 percent drop from 2007, the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism said Wednesday. It was the first time since 2004 that Hawaii welcomed fewer than 7 million tourists.

Visitors who arrived by air in 2008 spent $11.3 billion, a $1.2 billion, or 9.9 percent, fall from the previous year, the department said.

Hawaii's top four visitor markets all recorded declines in the number of visitors flying to the islands in December, compared with the same month in 2007.

State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert said an exceptional first quarter in 2008 helped offset the impact the world economic crisis has had on Hawaii's visitor industry and the state's economy.

"The results for the year and for December were expected, however we continue to believe that in spite of the challenges, opportunities exist," she said.

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