Hawaii-Ken – Japanese Take Over the Little Islands 50 Years Later

When I was in Japan there was a joke that Hawaii should be considered part of Japan – Hawaii-ken. Ken is Japanese for prefecture, the equivalent of a US state.

So many Japanese went to Hawaii that they could shop in Japanese, buy food at restaurants in Japanese, book hotels and tours and such…do everything in Japanese.

In the first seven months of this year, visitors to Hawaii have spent an estimated $7 billion. More than one fourth of that was spent by tourists from Japan.

The $1.9 billion that the Japanese have spent in HI is DOWN 3.7% from last year. But…the average Japanese visitor in HI spends an average of $272.20 EACH DAY – UP 8.2% over last year.

This amount is more than twice what the average Canadian spends in HI ($132.9) and 40% higher than what the average US citizen spends ($153-$176/day) depending on whether they come from the East or West of America.

Less people are going to HI from Japan, but they are spending more. 

The average length of stay, according to travelvideo.tv, for Japanese when they visit HI is 5.57 days.

Holy smokes…I have said it before, I’ll say it again. The Japanese have money to spend and like to spend it. And Hawaii is glad to offer a service the Japanese like.

How about you? What do you have to sell to the Japanese?

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