Hawaii Tourism Outlook for the Remainder of 2010

Hawaii tourism and the overall economy of the Hawaiian Islands is expected to continue recovering during the second half of 2010 and beyond according to Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. The gross domestic product (GDP) of Hawaii is expected to increase about 1.1 percent in 2010 and then 1.4 percent in 2011.

Hawaii Aloha. Lei greeting!

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What is characterized as a “gradual optimism” continues to guide the DBET’s forecast which takes into account that Hawaii’s economy depends in a large part on the overall United States economy as well as international economies such as Japan.

Honolulu and Waikiki from above.

The number of visitors to Hawaii in 2010 is expected to increase 2.6 percent, a number that was boosted by the arrival of more international visitors than were expected during the year’s first quarter. During 2011 visitor arrivals are expected to increase 4.1 percent. Hotel room occupancy rates have been increasing in Hawaii as well as nationally after two consecutive years of declines.

Another good sign for Hawaii’s economy is that the number of days that visitors spend in the islands is expected to increase by about 2.6 in 2010 and 4.2 percent in 2011. Expenditures are also expected to increase 4.9 percent in 2010 and 7.3 percent in 2011, with a concomitant increase in local jobs and wage levels.

Hawaii tourism should also be boosted by the improvement in the United States economy overall where the GDP is expected to increase by 3.2 percent in 2010, according to a Blue Chip Economic Consensus Forecast produced in May of 2010. In 2011 the increase is expected to be 3.1%.

Kona fireworks! Hawaii volcano.

Also boding well for Hawaii’s economic and tourism health in the near future is the continued improvement of Japan’s economy where the GDP should increase about 2.2 percent in 2010.

In summary, the slow and gradual economic recovery that Hawaii’s economy is now experiencing is expected to continue throughout 2010 with more improvement in 2011, with visitor numbers and visitor spending both continuing to increase.