Hawaii tourism a victim of China-U.S. trade frictions

Hawaii's 18 billion U.S. dollar tourism industry has become the latest victim of the trade frictions between China and the United States, reports the American news outlet CNBC.

Sunrise at Haleakala National Park, Hawaii. [File Photo: VCG]

"A growing cloud of economic anxiety is looming over Hawaii, as the ongoing trade war between the world's two largest economies threatens to cut off a once-steady flow of Chinese tourists," said the report.

Figures from Hawaii's tourism authority show that the number of tourist from China in May was down 36 percent compared to the same time last year.

"Hawaii would like to capture more of this lucrative market, but two federal issues diminish our growth opportunities: visa requirements and the Trump administration's antagonistic trade policies. As long as the U.S. puts restrictions on travel and takes on a more combative political posture, the Chinese will choose to vacation elsewhere," said Hawaii State Senator Glenn Wakai. One out of four jobs in Hawaii are tied to the tourist industry, which means any negative impacts in the Asian market will paralyze Hawaii's economy, said Wakai.

Last year, the island state welcomed 10 million travelers from around the world, bringing in 18 billion U.S. dollars in tourism revenue. Although tourists from China account for less than 2 percent of the total, they stay longer and spend more money than other travelers from Asia. On average, a tourist from China stays a little more than eight days and spends about 350 U.S. dollars a day in Hawaii, according to the CNBC report.