Mainstreet Pahoa Marketing & Business Plan 1997

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P VI. PROJECT MARKETING PLAN Market Analysis The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau reports show that ' p the big Island already benefits from the highest number of return visitors who prefer hying trails, nature learning experiences, historical museums local h • . , heritage features, bed and breakfasts, and most of all a higher level of interaction with local residents. However, er the number of visitors to the Pahoa area has greatly diminished with the destruction of the black sands beach at Kaimu. From several hundred a day, the number of visitors today seldom exceed 100 a day. The Pahoa Village Park will be marketed as a community-based heritage site reflecting the history of the village of Pahoa through its • g g several features that can tell its story. These include old lumber mill photographs and records f • "camp" , former sugar plantation worker camp housing areas, a railroad turntable from the ' days of railroad transport, the site of a former sumo wrestling ring, the story of • • g gs ry the former Waha ula Visitor Center through its display boards. Market descriiDtion. Of the approximately 6.5 million visitors " • PP ., Y sitars to Hawaii in 1994, 16°Io or 1,059,140 came to the island of Hawaii. Of the total number to come to this island, 20% are eastbound visitors, primarily from Japan. Of the 80 0 visitors, P % U.S. visitors, the largest portion come from the Pacific region, articular) the state of California, particularly Californi 36% or 743,830 of the total U.S. visitors to the island • • . (755,100} are from the Pacific region (California, Alaska, Oregon, Washington). 89% of • . , this number are from California. These visitors have an average age of 45 stay in ho • g y tell or ahotel- condominium mix, are usually on their 4th or 5th trip to island of Hawaii and will generally stay a week. There are slightly more male (523,450) than female (352,420) visitors, tors, and the most frequent persons. The q group size is two or three p e largest occupational categories reflected b this row "professional" (199,240), "re • (146,490), Y g pare tired" and "senior mans " Bement (106,300). While similar data exists statewide for the largest visitors Best bloc of visitors from the Asia Pacific region, those from Japan, it is not available P � for the island of Hawaii. However statewide data does show that U.S. visitors spend less ' p on Oahu per day ($116.15} than on the neighbor islands ($127*35), whi le it is the r v • • (Oahu • • reverse for the Japanese visitor e enditure i $276-26). P daily expenditure s $306.54, neighbor island is There are two commercial interisland airports rp on the island where the State's two major carriers deposit or retrieve visitors to the island. The Keahole Airport in Iona on the west side, and the Hilo airport on the east side. • • rP de. An increase in direct flights from Japan to the Kona airport has boosted the island's visitor P ands visitor numbers and hotel occupancy. laces like P P cY . The visitor niche that P whoa and the Puna district seek are the repeat westbound independent travelers who usually arrive on discounted hotel and airfare packages and rent a car for the duration of their stay, and will join in 1 2 day r • ' J / y g ound tours and activities such 24