Hawaiian Clothes

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Business — ADVERTISEMENT — Sunday, October 17, 2004 DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Yoshi Takahashi amuses his friends Kimi Toi and Michi Ogino with a wetsuit that's a little too small at the Xcel store in the Ward Village Shops. Hey! Big spenders New research shows just where tourists drop their money during stays in Hawaii By Allison Schaefers aschaefers@starbulletin.com ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRYANT FUKUTOMI / BFUKUTOMI@STARBULLETIN.COM China / South Korea travelers » More than 50 percent of these Asian visitors are first-timers and about a quarter of them come as part of a package tour. » Most come to visit friends or family (more than 28 percent), on business, or as part of a stopover, as stringent Visa requirements and a lack of flights has made Hawaii a difficult vacation destination. » In terms of activities, they are statistically similar to Americans, but plan to spend more money. » Most plan to attend a luau and 30 percent intend to play golf, the most of any other group surveyed. United States travelers » American travelers plan to stay longer and spend the least amount of money on retail and souvenirs. » They are most likely to engage in sports like running, scuba or going to the gym, but have the smallest percentage of people who planned to swim or sunbathe. » Americans are more likely to attend a luau, go to a Hawaiian history or cultural event and buy Hawaiian clothing and souvenirs than Japan or other Asian travelers. » They enjoy shopping at convenience stores, malls or hotel stores. They are also the most likely to go to a museum or art gallery or eat in high-end restaurants. Japan travelers » More than 60 percent of Japan travelers come to Hawaii as part of a package group. » These visitors plan to stay the least amount of time and spend the most money. » They are most likely to come to Hawaii to celebrate a wedding or honeymoon than any other group. » They are most interested in going to the beach and shopping while in Hawaii, but few plan to do any activities or eat in high-end restaurants. » They enjoy shopping across the board from outlet and discount stores to designer boutiques. While tourists from Japan and the mainland still pump plenty of money into Hawaii's retail stores, a more global mix of visitors is at the heart of Hawaii's improved tourism outlook, and their preferences are worlds apart. A new cross-cultural study from the University of Hawaii is available to help retailers take stock of what tourists buy, so local stores can match merchandise with spending habits. University of Hawaii marketing professor Mark Rosenbaum and travel industry management professor Dan Spears randomly surveyed more than 1,000 Waikiki tourists to determine cultural differences regarding their reasons for coming to Hawaii, their desire to shop and what purchases they planned to make during their stay. "Not all tourists are alike," Rosenbaum said. "Your target market should greatly impact how you merchandise and what products you stock." Hawaii's retail history gives businesses strong reasons to diversify their customer base, said retail analyst Stephany Sofos. "In the 1980s, the Japanese people came fast and furious and those who didn't cater to them were left out. Now it's changing, and as visitor groups change, retailers are having to figure out what their market is from one day to the next," Sofos said. The University of Hawaii study can help tourist-dependent businesses identify how to best keep their customers happy and how to increase spending from other visitor groups, Spears said. Their research showed that Japanese tourists plan to spend $1,400 on gifts and souvenirs during their stay in Hawaii, which is substantially more than all other visitor groups. According to the study, Chinese and Koreans spend about $750 on retail items and Americans spend around $600. They also found differences when it came to purchasing local foods, clothing and engaging in outdoor activities as well as differences in why these tourists groups were coming to Hawaii. For example, Americans and Japanese came to Hawaii primarily to vacation, while the Chinese and South Korean visitors were in Hawaii primarily to visit family members. Chinese visitors can only travel for leisure to a few designations, which does not include Hawaii. "Most Japanese will spend their vacation shopping at both high-end and discount retailers," Rosenbaum said, adding that data also confirmed the love-affair Japanese have with designer items. Nearly 60 percent of the Japanese visitors surveyed planned to visit Hawaii's designer boutiques; in contrast, only 35 percent of Americans planned to do so. However, the number of Japan travelers who plan to purchase products made in Hawaii, such as coffee, food and clothing, is lower than other groups. "The Japanese are the answer to our luxury business - not our economy," Rosenbaum said, adding that purchases of locally made products create more jobs and ultimately bring more benefit to the state. Visitors, who spend about $3 billion annually on retail goods in Hawaii, make up about 15 percent of the state's $19 billion retail market, said Carol Pregill, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii. The islands drew 6.4 million visitors last year, about two-thirds of them from the mainland. "Shopping is the third largest expenditure, next to food and lodging, for visitors," Pregill said, adding that about 20 percent of visitor expenditures can be attributed to shopping. "That's huge when you consider that shopping is a discretionary expense," Pregill said, and is an important part of a visitor's experience. But to make Hawaii shopping attractive to visitors it has to be distinctive, said Frank Haas, marketing director for the Hawaii Tourism Authority. "You can shop in Hong Kong and Las Vegas; what we need to know is what's distinctive about shopping in Hawaii," Haas said. As Oahu's visitor market stays strong, many retailers are going to take advantage of more visitor-based opportunities, said Jeffrey Hall, senior director of research at CB Richard Ellis. "There's huge amount of interest in redoing resort retail, especially in Waikiki," Hall said. According to market reports, Waikiki has a high number of retail vacancies, but in three to four years the sector will be more bullish as Waikiki renovation projects come to fruition, Hall forecasts. "The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is rapidly changing. The Beach Walk and the International Market Place projects are just getting under way," Hall said. "Expect that in a few years Waikiki will be an entirely different place." Any shift in visitor demographics changes the way businesses advertise their products. "It's important to know who is coming and what you need for inventory," Pregill said. "Inventory is a huge expense and no one wants to be stuck with goods that no one want to buy." That's where the Rosenbaum and Spears study comes in, said Anne Murata, marketing director of the Festival Cos., which manages the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Murata said she purchased the study because it's the first retail survey in Hawaii that breaks data into small categories such as visitors' reasons for traveling to Hawaii, ability to spend and where they spend their money. Retailers are especially interested on the data about Chinese and South Korean visitors, she said. While Chinese and Korean visitors have more in common with Americans in terms of overall spending, their spending habits are very similar to the Japanese visitor market when it was new, Murata said. In the 1990s, when the Japanese tourism boom to Hawaii was growing, the state's largest industry went to great lengths to cater to their needs. Japanese signs ruled Waikiki marketing; but then the bubble burst and retailers had to regroup to stay in business. "We've been trained to think only in terms of U.S. westbound and Japan travelers," she said. "But our retail market is becoming increasingly global and we're starting to see more travelers from China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the U.S. East." Japanese visitor arrivals to Hawaii, which peaked at 2.2 million in 1997, fell to 1.3 million last year in response to a weakened Japanese economy and geopolitical troubles. Retailers say the market has rebounded, but it's time for those eyeing Hawaii's improved market to use the isles' changing tourist patterns to help determine what's in store. Although the China travel market to Hawaii is small, representing less than 1 percent of Hawaii's total visitors in 2002, state officials have identified it as a market with enormous potential. New research shows that Chinese tourists are now the biggest spenders in the Asia-Pacific region by average credit card transaction size, according to a study released by Visa. The report, published last week in the Financial Times, said Chinese cardholders on average spent $253 per transaction while traveling. The World Tourism Organization has also estimated that China will produce 100 million outbound tourists by 2020 and members of Hawaii's public and private sector want their share. "Just like we geared retail to the Japan market in its heyday, someday I expect we'll see retail signs in Chinese and Korean, too," Murata said. According to the Rosenbaum and Spears survey, the Chinese, enjoy participating in new activities, but look for familiarity in restaurants - characteristics similar to Japanese visitors before Hawaii became a common destination, "They only want to eat in Chinese restaurants," Rosenbaum said. But, more important for retailers is that the Chinese also appear to have a taste for luxury goods. "The Chinese, like the Japanese, also want to purchase luxury goods as gifts to take home," Spears said. While retailers need accurate data to capture their audience, there is one sure plan that works across cultures, Murata said. "One thing you can always sell them is the aloha spirit - that's an approach that works with visitors from China to Lithuania," Murata said. BACK TO TOP | The Hawaii experience A new University of Hawaii study of tourist spending habits raised some interesting questions. For instance, do Japan travelers, who planned to spend $1,400 on gifts and souvenirs during their stay in Hawaii, really contribute the most money to Hawaii's economy? While Americans, who planned to spend about $600 on retail, and Chinese/ Koreans, who planned to spend about $750, lagged behind in overall spending, the data showed that these groups spent significantly more on made-in-Hawaii products. The percentage of visitors planning to buy each product: Items USA / Canada Japan China / South Korea Hawaiian coffee 53.1 38.4 70.8 Macadamia nuts 66.8 52.2 75.5 Pineapples 37.4 7.3 30.2 Hawaiian candies 35.7 12.3 35.8 Hawaiian clothing 47.3 21.7 43.4 Hawaiian souvenirs 60.9 41.1 58.5 Source: University of Hawaii marketing professor Mark Rosenbaum and travel industry management professor Dan Spears Where it all goes Percentage of visitors doing the following activities: Activities U.S. Japan China/Korea Honeymoon/wedding 6.8 18.2 4.7 Visit family/friends 13.4 3.8 28.3 Part of Packaged tour 15.8 61.3 25.5 Buying designer clothes 29.2 34.9 37.7 Golf 16.0 5.6 30.2 Tour bus 30.9 25.2 37.7 Beach 77.4 78.3 84.0 Fine dining 58.2 8.5 49.1 Culture/History 64.2 27.3 43.4 Luau 59.7 16.1 62.3 Designer boutiques 35.1 59.2 41.5 Mall 65.4 74.5 75.5 Characteristics of visitors' stays: Visit U.S. Japan China/Korea Planned Expenditures $644 $1,416 $745 Length of Stay in Hawaii 12 days 7 days 11 days Source: University of Hawaii marketing professor Mark Rosenbaum and travel industry management professor Dan Spears — ADVERTISEMENTS — — ADVERTISEMENTS — | | | PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION E-mail to Business Editor BACK TO TOP Text Site Directory: [News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Do It Electric!] [Classified Ads] [Search] [Subscribe] [Info] [Letter to Editor] [Feedback] © 2004 Honolulu Star-Bulletin -- http://starbulletin.com -Advertisement-

Hawaii vacations. See Hawaii

Virtual Tours of Hawaii Hotels, Restaurants; Plan your Hawaii Vacations! See Hawaii Real Estate Virtual Tours of Hawaii Hotels and Restaurants. Plan your Hawaii vacations. See Hawaii real estate listings and read about Hawaiian culture and attractions. all about Hawaii, hotels, restaurants, accommodations, island attractions, and more Think Hawaii... vacations ... so relaxing... Ahhhhh, Hawaii : the lush Pacific island paradise where your mind vacations. Hawaii is, indeed, where your body longs to follow. Through simple association alone--Oahu, Waikiki, Maui, Kauai--you sense an attraction so undeniably real that you might just feel lifted, in place, from your seat. Now, your dream vacation need not be a figment of your imagination. Tour Hawaii's best hotels , resorts , restaurants , real estate and attractions from wherever you are when the desire strikes. Virtual Tours of Hawaii Hotels Hawaii is one of the most desirable vacation destinations in the world, and is known for both luxurious and peaceful accommodations. Lavish pools, beach front access, and ocean view rooms abound throughout many of the islands hotels . Hawaii 's best resorts have been captured, in essence, in a collection of panoramic images. A small selection of the entire hotel list is featured below. Sheraton Waikiki 360° Virtual Images Live Interactive Web Cameras Kapalua Bay Hotel 360° Virtual Images Live Interactive Web Cameras Sheraton Maui 360° Virtual Images Live Interactive Web Cameras What is See A Room Hawaii ? A sun-soaked bask on a blissfully temperate beach is an experience to behold. And so, it has become the quest of See A Room Hawaii to share Hawaii with you, and bring you to this experience. Built from both local partnerships and personal adventures, we have crafted a rich collection of information about Hawaii ranging from vacation resources; community events and activities ; to local attractions and more. Popular Sites about hawaii Hawaii vacations hotels real estate restaurants bars & clubs hawaii tours activites & attractions Home | Live Webcams | Contact Us | Links • Hotels • Bed & Breakfasts • Vacation Rentals • Real Estate • Restaurants & Bars • Tours & Attractions • See A Room in another city: New York - Los Angeles - Chicago - Seattle - Las Vegas Florida Keys - Key West See A Room Hawaii, LLC 46-063 Emepela Pl., Suite W100 Kaneohe, HI 96744 ph (808) 291-3278 fax (808) 235-4050 info @ seearoomhawaii.com

Lanai Maui Hawaii's Big

Hawaii's Official Tourism Site - Travel info for your Lanai vacation Choose a Category Calendar of Events Accommodations Activities & Attractions Dining Golf Services & Information Shopping Transportation Travel Professionals Weddings & Honeymoons Free Visitors Guide Hawaii Travel Tips Sharing Aloha Choose an Island All Islands Kauai Oahu Molokai Lanai Maui Hawaii's Big Island Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 04 05 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 04 05 Help me find... Calendar of Events Accommodations Activities & Attractions Dining Golf Services & Information Shopping Transportation Travel Professionals Weddings & Honeymoons Free Visitors Guide Hawaii Travel Tips Sharing Aloha Alternate Search Like the other islands, Lanai has its own special unique flavor and feel. It’s one of the smallest islands, but don’t let its small size fool you – you’ll be surprised at how much Lanai has to offer. This charming island is home to just over 3,000 people, making it the perfect place for rest relaxation, rejuvenation, rediscovery and romance. From beautiful Manele Bay to the bumpy road and scenic views of the Munro Trail, you'll find a wide range of activities to please just about everyone. Golf on two challenging courses or go snorkeling in crystal clear waters at Hulopoe Beach. The resorts also offer excellent services for your indulgence. > learn more about Lanai M EETINGS & C ONVENTIONS | T RAVEL T RADE R ESOURCES | M EDIA C OMMUNICATIONS Corporate Information | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | ©2005 Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau

Hawaii Hotel

Ambassador Hotel of Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii Hotel and condo near Waikiki beach Well-known among Waikiki hotels, our studios , one-bedroom and penthouse suites are well appointed, clean and spacious, most with full kitchens. Low rates and great service make the Ambassador a cut above Waikiki condos. It's a terrific Waikiki vacation value! The Ambassador Hotel of Waikiki is Centrally located, clean and convenient to shopping, dining, and entertainment. See our Location Map A short walk from Waikiki Beach, just minutes from Ala Moana Center , downtown Honolulu, and Hawaii Convention Center , The Ambassador offers convenience and comfort at reasonable rates. The Ambassador Hotel is surrounded by hundreds of fabulous restaurants from low-cost fast food to ethnic cuisine and fine dining including restaurants like Top of Waikiki nearby. On the ground floor of the Ambassador, enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at Keo's Thai restaurant, "one of the choicest dining spots in Honolulu." Also on the ground floor, try Kimo Bean specialty coffee shop for snacks or a short break. Rooms at the Ambassador are freshly remodeled with great amenities, plus you'll enjoy complete hotel services and facilities . INTERNET SPECIALS If you're looking for Waikiki vacation travel deals on the Internet, you've come to the right place. The Ambassador has promotional packages and Internet Specials from $63 per night plus great values on our one-bedroom and penthouse suites. SECURE ONLINE RESERVATIONS Check for the availability of rooms on your planned travel dates. For accommodations, complete the secure online reservation request or call us toll free from the U.S. or Canada at (800) 923-2620. To call toll free from Japan, use International access prefix 001, 0041, 0061 and others, then dial 1-800-0923-2620. Phone: (808) 941-7777 Fax: (808) 951-3939 E-mail: reservations@ambassadorwaikiki.com From the U.S. & Canada , call our reservations department Toll free: (800) 923-2620 2040 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 USA From Japan , to call our reservations department toll free, use International access prefix 001, 0041, 0061 and others, then dial toll free: 1-800-923-2620 . ll Internet Specials ll Dining ll Services & Facilities ll Rates ll Accommodations ll ll Check Room Availability ll Reservations ll Location Map ll Photo Gallery ll Links ll ll Home ll Site maintained by Consolidated Management Resources, LLC. Please visit http://www.cmgtr.com/ http://stevensons-resort-samoa.com http://www.miecobeachyc.com/

Hawaii Volcano

Volcano Watch [ TEXT ONLY ] Volcano Watch Volcano Watch is a weekly newsletter written by the scientists at the US Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. It is published in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald's Sunday newspaper and the West Hawai'i Today's Monday newspaper, and posted here the following Monday or Tuesday. While primarily addressed to the residents of the Big Island of Hawai`i, some articles may have a broader scope. Article topics may range from volcanic features on the Big Island, volcanic hazards, informational topics of Long Valley, Montserrat, or Alaska, to topics about the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Latest Issue: January 19, 2006: Revolution in thinking about Kilauea's explosions comes to HVO: Part 1 Previous Issue: January 12, 2005: 2005: Another relatively quiet year for Hawaiian earthquakes Kilauea Eruption Status From Volcano Watch, January 19, 2006: During the past week, the number of earthquakes located beneath Kilauea remains at levels typical of the current eruption. Inflation of the summit continues. Eruptive activity at Pu`u `O`o also continues. On clear nights, glow is visible from several vents within the crater and on the southwest side of the cone. Lava is still flowing through the PKK lava tube from its source on the flank of Pu`u `O`o to the ocean, with scattered surface flows breaking out of the tube. Surface flows on the pali are visible at night (weather permitting) from the end of Chain of Craters Road. As of January 19, lava is entering the ocean at East Lae`apuki, in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The active lava bench continues to regrow following the major collapse of November 28. Access to the ocean entry and the surrounding area remains closed, due to significant hazards. If you visit the eruption site, check with the rangers for current updates, and remember to carry lots of water when venturing out onto the flow field. There were two earthquakes beneath Hawai`i Island reported felt within the past week. A magnitude-3.6 earthquake occurred at 11:04 p.m. on Saturday, January 14, and was located 7 km (5 miles) southeast of Hualalai summit at a depth of 28 km (17 miles). A magnitude-4.7 earthquake occurred at 4:05 p.m. on Wednesday, January 18, and was located 16 km (10 miles) offshore and east of Na`alehu at a depth of 40 km (25 miles). Mauna Loa is not erupting. During the past week, the count of earthquakes located beneath the volcano remains at low levels. Inflation continues, but at a slower rate since early October 2005. Visit our web site (hvo.wr.usgs.gov) for daily volcano updates and nearly real-time Hawai`i earthquake information. For maps, photographs, and more current information see Kilauea's eruption updatepage . Visit The Hawaii Center for Volcanology for captivating eruptive photos and a history of the eruption. The Volcano Watch Archive Search Text to Search For: Boolean: AND OR Case Insensitive Sensitive || 1994 || 1995 || 1996 || 1997 || 1998 || 1999 || 2000 || 2001 || 2002 || 2003 || 2004 || 2005 || Other articles || USGS, HVO would like to thank Gerard Fryer at SOEST for doing a great job posting, archiving, and maintaining our Volcano Watch articles on their website from December 30, 1994 through March 6, 1998. The URL of this page is http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/ Contact: hvowebmaster@usgs.gov Updated: January 23, 2006 (pnf)