Honolulu Marathon Economic Impact Soared Over $108 Million in 2007

HONOLULU – (March 5, 2008) – The 2007 Honolulu Marathon generated $108,890,000 in sales, according to a report by Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) – an increase of $7.3 million over the previous year.

Reasons given by HPU for the increase in spending despite a lower registration total than 2006 are the weakness of the dollar, strength of the yen and longer hotel stays by both Japanese and U.S. Mainland marathoners, according to Hawaii Pacific University professor Jerry Agrusa.

This is the third straight year that the marathon has generated more than $100 million in spending. It is the biggest economic generator among Hawaii's sporting events due to its base of high-spending Japanese runners. The Japanese tourist is known to spend nearly $100 more per day than other tourists in Hawaii.

More than 60 percent of the Honolulu Marathon field flies in from Japan.

Counting Japanese, foreigners from other nations and U.S. Mainland registrants, 85.5 percent of the marathon's field stayed in Waikiki hotels.

There were 27,827 total registrants in 2007 compared with 28,635 in 2006.

The study by a team from HPU's Travel Industry Management department used 1,643 interviews with visiting marathoners to compile the impact report. The race was held on Dec. 9 and was America's third largest marathon last year.

Japanese runners stayed an average of 5.27 days in 2007 compared with 5.23 days in 2006, according to the report. U.S. Mainland runners stayed an average of 10.04 days in 2007 compared with 9.12 days in 2006. The length of stay for runners from countries other than Japan also increased from 9.12 in 2006 to 10.24 in 2007.

The report also took into consideration spending by the 3,334 Japanese participants in the marathon's Race Day Walk.

For more information, contact Pat Bigold at (808) 927-1156 or visit:

HonoluluMarathon.org

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