Tourism industry sees ‘positive momentum’

Maui County's visitor arrivals by air grew to nearly 198,000 in February, a 5.3 percent increase compared with the same month last year, according to figures released Thursday by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority.

Maui's arrivals trailed the overall state increase in air arrivals, which climbed to 675,517, a 7.8 percent jump for the month. Maui's major island competitors fared better as well in terms of percentage increases in February: Kauai, 9.5 percent to 90,082; the Big Island, 8.2 percent to 130,664; and Oahu, 7.9 percent to 396,084.

Lanai posted an increase of 3.2 percent for the month to 6,295, while Molokai was the only island statewide to lose ground, a drop of 9.7 percent to 4,259 visitor arrivals in February. (Because of small numbers of visitors for Molokai and Lanai, percentage increases or decreases can be magnified for those islands.)

February visitor expenditures on Maui were nearly on par with the state overall. Valley Isle visitors spent $339.6 million in the month, a 9.4 percent increase, while visitor spending statewide was up 9.9 percent to $1.22 billion. Spending on Molokai went up 12.5 percent to 3 million, while tourist expenditures on Lanai dropped 21.8 percent to $7.1 million.

Why the increase? Continue to article (click here).

Article originally published by The Maui News, March 29, 2013