U.S. travelers still
like isles, but...
Florida and California, seen
By Pete Pichaske
as 'family places,' gain while
Hawaii slips
Star-BulletinWASHINGTON -- Hawaii remains a favorite summer getaway for American travelers, but it is not gaining in popularity like its chief rivals.
A survey to be released today by the Travel Industry Association of America found the three favorite summer vacation destinations for Americans this year were the same as they have been since the first TIA survey five years ago.
In order, the top states were Florida, California and Hawaii.
But the number of Americans with Florida or California on their wish list went up this year while the percentage favoring Hawaii went down.
TIA officials conceded the Hawaii figure was "flat" but argued it was not a major worry.
"Hawaii's still ahead of 47 other states," said the TIA's Michael Pina from New York. "It's still clearly very popular with the American traveler."
"I think Hawaii has more to be concerned about with the Asian crisis and those tourists," added Pina. "They'll do OK with domestic trips."
A TIA survey six months ago of winter getaways also found that Hawaii was losing ground as a favorite vacation spot to such states as Florida and Nevada.
Pina offered two factors working against Hawaii: the popularity of car travel (as opposed to airplane travel) this summer, when gasoline prices on the mainland are down, and the large number of families who plan to travel with children.
"California and Florida have a reputation for being family places," said Pina.
Barbara Okamoto, director of market research for the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, said the survey results were predictable if not especially cheery.
"The trend in the U.S. is toward more frequent, shorter trips closer to home. And obviously, we're not closer to most people's homes," she said. "It's nothing unexpected or alarming, but it does certainly underscore what our challenge is with American travelers."
The HVCB, she said, is trying to market Hawaii as a destination with a variety of attractions, in the hopes of making people want to stay longer.
In addition, it is selling the state to travelers from the East Coast and the mainland interior, not the traditional West Coast market, in hopes of reaching more people.
Nationally, the TIA survey found that Americans expect to take an estimated 251 million vacation trips during June, July and August, up 3 percent from last year.
Separately, another survey out today by AAA lists Hawaii as the most expensive place to vacation, with daily lodging and meal costs averaging $383. New York was the second most expensive at $330 a day, followed by Massachusetts at $300, Louisiana at $284 and New Jersey at $268.
AAA said North Dakota has the lowest vacation costs at $131 a day.
Other low-cost destinations are South Dakota at $138, Nebraska at $145, Kansas at $152 and Iowa at $155.
