Getting your player ready...
HONOLULU — A tsunami spawned by the earthquake in Japan caused tens of millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses and boats in Hawaii after the waves roared ashore last week. Now the islands are bracing for another hit — a loss in travelers from Japan.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie predicted that the economic consequences will be severe for this tourism-dependent state. Hawaii is the top U.S. destination for the Japanese, hosting more than 1.2 million of the 16.6 million total outbound tourists last year. Visitors from Japan poured about $1.9 billion into Hawaii in 2010, or about 17 percent of the $11.4 billion overall visitor revenue.
