Lanai, Molokai suffered largest drop in tourism

Tourism on Molokai and Lanai is taking a bigger hit this year than on other major Hawaiian islands.

Year to date through November, Molokai visitor arrivals were down 31.5 percent to about 44,100, compared with the same period last year. On Lanai, the drop was 26 percent to 55,500 arrivals.

By contrast, Oahu arrivals were down less than 5 percent, while arrivals on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island were down on average about 10 percent.

Molokai and Lanai also have suffered large drops in visitor spending, with Molokai down 34.6 percent to $22.5 million and Lanai down 29.1 percent to $56.1 million.

Visitor spending on the other main Hawaiian islands, while down from last year, has dropped between 10.9 percent and 14.4 percent.

One other sharp disparity: The number of international travelers visiting Molokai and Lanai has declined 60 percent to 6,800 and 42 percent to 7,700, respectively, year over year through November.

Both islands are rural and are served by tiny airports, but they differ significantly when it comes to accommodations and attractions.

Lanai has two luxury Four Seasons resorts and world-class golf courses, while Molokai has a handful of small hotels, beach villas, bed and breakfasts, and other vacation rentals.

The November tourism statistics were released Monday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority and can be viewed at www.hawaiitourismauthority.org.