Independence

Hawaii

Tourism decline

Hawaii’s embattled tourism industry experienced more than a seven per cent decline in visitors in May, compared with May 1991. The decline came entirely from the US Mainland, from where visitor arrivals plummeted over 17 per cent in comparison with the previous year.

But vacationers travelling to Hawaii from other points including Pacific and Asian areas, Europe and Canada all increased significantly. Compared with a year ago, visitors from New Zealand grew almost five per cent, while those from Australia increased more than 27 per cent.

Total visitor arrivals for May this year was 552,000, compared to 513,000 the previous year. Hawaii tourism officials attribute part of the decline from the US to bargain airfares in effect throughout continental United States. As a result, they say, vacationers are travelling to other US and North American destinations instead of to Hawaii.

Other analysts suggest, however, that Hawaii might be pricing itself out of the mass tourist market, as costs of having a holiday there continue to rise. The decline in visitor numbers has also resulted in a decline in the number of airline seats available between Honolulu and US trans-Pacific gateways such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. □ ***

Independence

protest

Native Hawaiians marked American Independence Day celebrations with a demonstration to demand Hawaii’s independence from the United States. The rally took place in front of the Tolana Palace in Honolulu. Hundreds of protestors demanded the return of Hawaiian sovereignty, culture and land rights. Hawaiian militant Dennis Kanahele said the demonstrators were seeking to reverse history. Hawaii was proclaimed a republic under the protection of the United States in 1894 and later became a state of the US. □

Hawaii’s Waikiki beach: a major tourist attraction