HAWAI'I GAS PRICES STILL HIGHEST, BUT MAINLAND-LOCAL SPREAD IS NARROWING

Hawai'i is holding firmly onto its dubious distinction of having the highest gasoline prices in the nation. Motorists in the state pay an average of $2.85 for a gallon of regular, 26 cents a gallon more than second-ranked Oregon and a full 75 cents a gallon more than Missouri, which has the cheapest gas in the country. Across the state, prices ranged from $2.75 a gallon in Honolulu to $3.10 a gallon in Wailuku, Maui, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report. The AAA survey doesn't include prices on Kaua'i and Lanai, which are usually higher than Maui. One hopeful sign is that the spread between Hawai'i prices and the Mainland average has narrowed to 60 cents a gallon from 69 cents a gallon over the past month. For more information, see www.fuelgaugereport.com.

INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS STILL SHOWING WEAKNESS

These charts track the six-month trends of visitor arrivals to Hawai'i by air, a key barometer of the health of tourism, the state's largest industry. To smooth out day-to-day bumps, seven-day moving averages are used. Figures for international arrivals do not include visitors from Canada.