(Reuters)
- Visits to Hawaii soared to a record high last year, boosted by an increase in
flights and a weaker dollar, tourism officials said on Thursday.
Almost
8 million people visited the Aloha State in 2012, more than a third of a
million more than the previous record set in 2006 and a rise of 9.6 percent on
2011, the Hawaii Tourism Authority said.
The
surge in visitors to the tropical islands - famed for their pounding surf and
lush mountains - was matched by a record $14.3 billion in spending, according
to preliminary statistics.
As
well as being a top holiday destination for U.S. visitors, the islands are also
a popular spot for Japanese tourists who accounted for nearly 1.5 million of
the state's visitors in 2012 - a 17 percent rise.
Keith
Vieira, director of operations for Starwood Hotels
and Resorts in Hawaii, said new direct flights from secondary tourist markets
such as Phoenix and Las Vegas were a factor in the increase, along with more
international flights from Australia, South Korea,
and Japan.
Officials
from the Tourism Authority also cited faRecvorable exchange rates. The yen is
currently at a two-and-a-half year low against the dollar.
Roseann
Grippo, general manager of the Kahala Hotel and Resort, said another factor was
that "people have more discretionary income with the economy
coming back."
In
2013 the state aims to attract 8.2 million visitors, Mike McCartney, president
& CEO Hawaii Tourism Authority, said in a statement.
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