HONOLULU, Hawaii (3 August 2008) — Tourist arrivals to Hawaii declined a staggering 14.2 percent in June, the biggest monthly drop in five years. Tourism officials in Hawaii described the sharp decline as "worrisome" and said they are considering a major marketing effort to lure travelers back to the islands. The Hawaii Tourism Authority told CDNN planned expenditures of $6.5 million will likely be approved to lure travelers back to the state. In addition to the decline in tourist arrivals, visitor spending decreased 13.5 percent. Officials blamed America's economic downturn and the high cost of air travel for Hawaii's sagging tourism industry. Joseph Toy, president of Hospitality Advisors, said Hawaii's tourism industry faces its biggest challenge since the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s and the post 9/11 period that set back the global tourism industry. CDNN sources in Maui described the beaches as "nearly deserted" and one dive operator said that dive travelers should be listed as a critically endangered species. The hotel occupancy rate in Maui declined to 64.6 percent, down from 75.2 percent in June 2007. The hotel occupancy rate on the Big Island dropped to 57.2 percent and the rate in Oahu fell to 72.2 percent. All of the islands reported steep declines in the amount of revenue per hotel room. | 
