The Hawaii Tourism Authority has announced that they will be increasing their international marketing budget by about $1.3 million in 2015 as part of their hope to create a more balanced tourism industry. The state agency currently spend about $12.1 million per year on their international marketing, but feel that this is still the best avenue to increase revenue for the state. David Uchiyama, the vice president of brand management for HTA, stated, "Growing international markets helps us diversify and takes into perspective the carrying capacity of Hawaii and the desire to continue to grow expenditures over arrivals. Further expansion into Hong Kong and Southeast Asia will help round out our exposure, especially into the Asia-Pacific. It costs us about $5.48 in marketing to bring a North American visitor to Hawaii and about $5.10 to bring an international visitor here. Also, international visitors tend to spend more on a daily basis than their North American counterparts. For instance, in 2013 North American visitors spent $171.10 per day, while our international visitors spent $267.10."
The North American market will continue to remain the core market for Hawaii, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority spends approximately $29.7 million per year getting people from the mainland United States to visit the islands. Uchiyama added, "North America remains a very important market for us. It's really the foundation that allows us to build on all other markets. We are looking right now at a proposal from the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau to add about the same amount of incremental funding to that (the North America) market, too."
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 8-30-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
