COM 0042.060 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

Metadata

Thumbnails

Annotations

Jump to thumbnail

attempted here. From early experiments, the coffee, macadamia nut, papaya, and cut flower industries have emerged. Experimentation with new agricultural products will continue to contribute to the island's agricultural economic base. In addition, many of the County's manufacturing concerns are closely associated with agricultural activities.] Within the past [twenty-five] forty years, tourism has emerged as the primary economic activity on the island. Much of the economic growth experienced during this period can be linked with the expansion of the visitor industry. Both the statewide and local economies have been faced with an economic downturn since 1990. Visitor arrivals to the island creaked in 1991 at 1,189.000 and subsequently declined to a low of 1079 000 in 1994 before rebounding to 1,286.000 in 1998. The mainland economic recession of the early 1990's and the Asian economic crisis in 1997 significantly impacted Hawaii's visitor industrv These events emphasized the dependency of the local economy upon the visitor industrv and its vulnerability to external influences. While the tourist industrv is expected to continue growing, it has matured to a point where healthy growth will demand a reinvestment in the infrastructure supporting the visitor industrv. The County must continue to preserve protect and enhance the unique qualities of the Big Island and promote the island as a vacation and business destination to respond to growing competition from tourist destinations around the world. In 1970, just prior to the initial adoption of the General Plan, the population in the County of Hawaii numbered 63,468. The 1970 census count was the first to show an increase, albeit small, since 1930 Population in modern history] when the population peaked at 73,325 [during that year], largely as a result of the importation of labor for the sugar industry. The population decline between 1930 and the 1960s was primarily due to the increasing mechanization of the sugar plantation, limited job opportunities in other economic sectors, and the out_migration of residents. This decline was reversed during the 1960s with a modest growth of 2,140 residents between the 1960 and 1970 census. Since 1970, the County's population has continued to grow. The 1980 census registered an island-wide resident population of 92,053 people representing a growth of 28,585 residents or a 45 er cent increase over the 1970 census. The 1990 census revealed a resident population of 120,317 residents, or an increase of 31 per cent over the 1980 resident population [Estimates prepared by the Department of Planning and Economic Development suggest a population of 106,400 in 1985] The census registered 148.677 residents in 2000 a 24 per cent increase over the 1990 resident population. [These estimates represent the County's population approaching the island's native population in 1779 estimated to have been between 100,000 to 150,000.] The County anticipates that its resident popplation will grow at an annual rate of 1 95 per cent Lo 2005, 2.04 per cent between 2005 to 2010, and 2.1 per cent between 2010 and 2020 Proiected estimates for 2020 indicate an island resident population of 217 718 or an increase of 46 per cent over the estimated 2000 population of 148 677. Table 2 summarizes the growth in Hawaii County's job count, by industry, from 1970 to [1984.] 1997. [The data indicates a shift of employment from agriculture towards tourism and other service categories. While there have been substantial increases in non-agricultural categories, farm and agricultural employment have also increased, particularly in those districts which are not primarily dependant on the sugar industry. Another noticeable change is the 13 Introduction