Tourism officials in Hawaii unveiled a $4.5 million winter campaign to lure visitors to the island state. The effort is part of the more than $12.5 million in emergency funding that has been devoted by the state and businesses to combat Hawaii’s tourism slump
In addition to the economic crisis, Hawaii witnessed the shutdown of Aloha and ATA airlines and the loss of two cruise ships.
'”It's cheaper to go to Vietnam, Bali and some of these other places like Mexico, but at the end of the day, they come back and say, ‘It's not Hawaii,’” said David Uchiyama, vice president of marketing at the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “The value of Hawaii is not only the price point, but it’s also the experience.'”
A Hawaiian vacation package costs less in 2008 by hundreds of dollars compared with 2007. Some hotels are offering a complimentary extra night or breakfast and more businesses are offering 2-for-1 deals on activities.
The number of visitor arrivals plummeted 17.3 percent in August compared with the same month last year, the Associated Press reported.
