MICE Tourism Numbers for Hawaii Keep Plummeting

Arrivals for meetings and conventions in Hawaii were down 23 percent in July compared with a year ago, according to data released Aug. 26 by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

In July there were 27,277 visitors in Hawaii for a meeting or convention, compared with 35,443 in July 2007. The number of domestic visitors was 19,219, down nearly 26 percent from 25,920 in July 2007. The number of international visitors in town for meetings was 8,058, down 15.4 percent from 9,523 a year ago.

Domestic visitors to Hawaii for the purpose of attending a sporting event increased 34.4 percent in July, compared with a year ago. Meanwhile, the number of international visitors to Hawaii for the same purpose decreased 18 percent.

The state reported that 9,406 domestic visitors traveled by air to Hawaii to attend a sporting event in July, up from 6,996 in July 2007. There were 3,302 international visitors in Hawaii for sporting events in July, down from 4,041 a year ago.