Maui Visitor Spending, Arrivals Continue Growing
By Sonia Isotov
Article From: Mauinow.com
“Continued growth in visitor spending is a strong indication that Hawaii’s tourism economy is improving,” said
Mike McCartney, the president and chief and executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), in a
written statement today.
For the state, visitor spending rose 15.1% to $11.3 billion during the first 11 months of 2011. On Maui, visitor
spending rose 12.9% to $249.5 million during the same 11 month period.
Statewide, total visitor days for all visitors rose 4.9% and total arrivals remained ahead (+3.4%) of last year at
6,600,776 visitors, according to preliminary statistics released today by the HTA. On Maui, total visitor days
for all visitors rose 4% and total arrivals remained ahead (+4.2%) as well. The HTA expects to end this year
with year-over-year growth in visitor expenditures.
Total arrivals in November 2011 rose 2.6% compared to last November to 566,672 visitors, and Maui
received 165,239 visitors compared to 162,153 visitors last November, or a 1.9% increase.
For the month of November 2011 alone, total visitor spending grew 8.2% (up $73.5 million) from November
2010 to $972.5 million, while visitor arrivals were up 2.6% from a year ago. Total spending by all visitors has
risen every month since May 2010. Higher daily spending ($186 per person, up from $179 per person in
November 2010) contributed to the growth in total visitor expenditures.
“The HTA’s focus on Asia and emerging markets is paying off with growth in visitor spending and arrivals
from Asia, including Korea, China and Japan. In November, air seat capacity from Japan increased 10.5%
due to increased service and an additional 5,796 charter seats to Hawai’i. The average daily spending from
Japanese visitors also increased, resulting in a 20% growth in visitor expenditures,” added McCartney.
Total arrivals by air only in November 2011 increased 3.6% to 555,630 visitors. Japanese arrivals grew
4.7%, the third consecutive month of increases. Arrivals from Canada (+5.1%), US West (+0.6%) and US
East (+2.0%) were also higher compared to November 2010. Arrivals by cruise ships fell 32% from
November 2010 to 11,042 visitors.
For the first 11 months of 2011, total expenditures by Canadian visitors rose 26.5%, supported by strong
growth in arrivals (+18.8%) and higher average daily spending. Total expenditures by US West (+6.9%) and
US East (+9.5%) visitors continued to increase while US West (+1.9%) and US East (+2.0%) arrivals remained
above year-to-date 2010. Total Japanese visitor expenditures increased 8.1%, even though arrivals were
lower (-5.4%) than the first 11 months of 2010.
“The growth from these markets are helping to offset the drop in spending from the US West and US East
that may be attributed to an increase in prices, as well as a recovering US economy,” explained McCartney.
November was also the month of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Week (APEC) which the
HTA used to promote Hawai’i as a global meetings destination and highlight the Hawaiian Islands’
centralized location in the Asia-Pacific region. McCartney said, “As anticipated, overall arrivals during
November showed modest growth compared to 2010, but the recent increases in arrivals and spending
from Japan and other Asia are also indicators of the significance of the Asia-Pacific region and the potential
long-term impact that APEC will have on our community.”
“It is also important to note that the visitor data for November 2011 does not include APEC attendees who
arrived via private planes or government transportation that is not captured by our research, as well as
ancillary business spending that includes security expenses, equipment rental fees, meeting rooms,
private parties and other expenses,” said McCartney.
“As we head into 2012, we anticipate seeing an increased shift of our visitor profile with a growing number
of visitor arrivals from the Asia-Pacific region. With new flights by Air Australia and Asiana Airlines, as well
as increased service by Hawaiian Airlines to South Korea, we see potential to capitalize on opportunities
and will continue developing these markets while building on recent gains that will help to provide jobs
and stimulate our state’s economy.”
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Wailea Substation Upgrade Supports Smart Grid Project
By Wendy Osher
Article From: Mauinow.com
Article From: Mauinow.com
The Maui Smart Grid Project will demonstrate and evaluate new technologies that will help residents better
manage and reduce energy consumption during periods of high demand. It will also assist Maui Electric
Company (MECO) operate the electricity grid more efficiently.
An advanced energy storage system will be installed at the Maui Electric Company substation in Wailea as
part of the Maui Smart Grid Project.
Led by MECO and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, the Maui Smart Grid Project is designed to demonstrate
and evaluate new technologies for operating the electric grid more efficiently.
The Grid Battery System is being provided by A123 Systems, a developer and manufacturer of advanced
lithium ion batteries and systems. It is designed to deliver one megawatt of power for a full hour, reducing t
he peak energy load on the substation’s transformers.
“We look forward to working with MECO to illustrate the value of our technology within the framework of
the next-generation electric grid,” said Robert Johnson, vice president of the Energy Solutions Group at A123.
“A123′s advanced energy storage system has demonstrated the ability to shift peak energy loads when
demand is high to provide the consistent delivery of quality power, which is an extremely valuable service
that supports MECO’s ongoing effort to increase the reliability of the grid and maximize the generation
resources we have in place,” said MECO president, Ed Reinhardt.
“The Maui Smart Grid Project will enable us to evaluate new technologies for enhancing our operations,”
said Reinhardt. He said the versatility of A123′s storage system will not only allow the utility to meet peak
load shifting requirements, but also perform additional services.
Specific objectives include minimizing emissions, enabling greater utilization of renewable energy sources
and improving grid stability.