HILO — On any given day, some 30,000 visitors land on Hawaii Island, spending more than $5 million on everything from hotel rooms to rental cars to souvenirs.
There’s room for more. With the Big Island’s hotel capacity at just 65.6 percent — the lowest in the state — a re-energized tourism marketing campaign could help the island catch up.
That’s the message the Japanese Chamber of Commerce &Industry took home Thursday after a presentation by George Szigeti, president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. His presentation, his first on the Big Island, marked one year to the day he was named head of the state’s marketing arm.
Szigeti, who once sold alcoholic beverages around the state, is no stranger to the Big Island. In fact, he said, he owns 38 aloha shirts by Hilo-based Sig Zane, and he doesn’t plan to stop there.
“I’m going to support the local economy,” he joked.
He thinks the island, and Hilo in particular, fits perfectly into the millennial travelers’ goals to immerse themselves into local lifestyle and culture, while visiting interesting places.
“In my opinion, everything that’s truly great about Hawaii is found here in Hilo,” he said. “Keep Hilo, Hilo.”
It’s an important demographic. Millennials, ages 18 to 34, have overtaken baby boomers in population. But they’re also a tougher audience to please and not known for the loyal repeat visits of their elders.
“More and more, they want to experience the authenticity of a destination,” Szigeti said.
Szigeti said the state’s $82 million tourism marketing budget doesn’t compare with many more millions spent by other locales, so it’s up to his office to employ more technology, especially for that coveted millennial market, and just work smarter.
Tops on the list are a revamped website and app and a virtual reality experience that will take visitors surfing on Waikiki, viewing the Kilauea lava flow close-up and previewing other destinations from the comfort of home.
“We, as a state, are competing against countries, and that’s why we have to be smart,” he said.
Hawaii’s tourism numbers, and those for the Big Island, have continued to climb each year for the past five years. That’s an achievement, but local tourism leaders don’t want the growth to get out of hand.
“As an island, we’e on a four-year incline as well, but we still have a lot of capacity,” said Ross Birch, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau. “But we don’t want to make it all up in one day. We’re looking for continued sustainable growth, year after year.”