A Hawaii TV station reported yesterday that it appears that Australians are “trading in their didgeridoos for ukuleles” and are visiting Hawaii in record numbers.
Helen Williams, Hawaii Tourism’s Australia based Manager told Hawaiian TV, “There’s been a big increase in Australians coming to Hawaii, with in the last three years it’s grown 50%,” adding an Australian TV crew is in town from the Australian Today Show, with The Today Show’s weatherman, Steven Jacobs telling the TV station that Today is rather like the American Today Show and that he was like their Al Roker.
Helen Williams said that Jacobs is promoting Hawaii to an estimated 350,000 Aussie households adding, “It was just a great opportunity to come here, film Hawaii live and beam a little bit of Hawaiian flavor back to Australia.”
One of the show’s guests, ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro who is gearing up for a two-week tour in Australia said, “We’re just kind of promoting Hawaiian music, aloha spirit and stuff like that and wherever I go I always promote Hawaii.”
Helen Williams said, “Around 125,000 visitors travel from Australia to Hawaii every year and that’s continuing to grow, especially with more airlines flying the 10 hour route, like Jetstar which will start in December and I think over time you’re going to see and hear a lot more Aussie accents on the beaches.”
According to Hawaii Tourism Authority, Australians stay an average of eight days and spend about $1500 per person during their stay.
Report by The Mole Aloha!
