Japan Earthquake Impacts Hawaii Tourism, Reducing Japanese Arrivals

The earthquake in Japan affected Hawaii's tourism sector, which relies heavily on Japanese visitors who are the largest international group to visit the islands annually. The Hawaii Tourism Authority projected an 18.3 percent decline in arrivals from Japan for March, which was lower than an initial projection of 25 percent following the March 11 events. Japan Airlines also temporarily reduced flights from Narita to Honolulu in April and announced it had emerged from bankruptcy.

The decline in arrivals from Japan directly impacts the visitor industry in Hawaii. The Hawaii Tourism Authority is implementing programs to increase arrivals, while Hawaiian Airlines announced plans to launch direct service to Osaka in July.