As Japanese travel slowly ramps up, experts hopeful for future of Hawaii tourism

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Earlier than the pandemic there was no scarcity of multi-national companies and different organizations trying to e book their conferences and occasions on the Hawaii Conference Middle.

If you happen to drive by the conference middle today, it’s fairly uncommon to see an entire lot of exercise. Although, native journey consultants that concentrate on worldwide tourism, say curiosity in reserving these massive occasions is slowly coming again.

Eric Takahata of Hawaii Tourism Japan, says that there are nonetheless a number of issues that deter Japanese guests from returning to Hawaii. Particularly a surcharge on gas prices that add round an additional $600 per particular person for these flying right here.

He says that coupled with the truth that you continue to should take a PCR take a look at to return to Japan is holding a few of them from coming in greater numbers.

”Proper now, it’s about $600 or perhaps a little over $600 per particular person spherical journey to journey to Hawaii. So you possibly can think about a household of 4 occasions six can be $2,400,” stated Takahata.

Nevertheless, they’re staying longer and spending extra.

”Spending is up which is an efficient factor and however we’re seeing the common size of keep for the Japanese customer go up by three days. We have been up round six days pre-pandemic, proper now we’re at about 9 days per particular person,” added Takahata.

Trying forward, Takahata says there are a number of events and holidays and different huge occasions just like the Honolulu Marathon that may convey much more guests from Japan to the islands.

“Final 12 months, we had round 30,000 runners a 12 months — half of them have been Japanese. So, we don’t know what the numbers are going to be for this 12 months, however it’s the largest occasion for the Japanese, on an annual foundation,” stated Takahata.

Even the current huge milestone of the primary flying honu from All Nippon Airways coming again to Hawaii on July 1 was kind of a drop within the bucket.

That day, 822 guests got here in from Japan.

Evaluating that to the practically 5,000 that flew in on the identical day in 2019 — there’s nonetheless an extended street forward.

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