More visitors came to Hawai'i and spent more money last month that they did in the same month last year, boosting the number of arrivals to a record for the month of May, although the number of Japanese visitors continued to decline.

Visitor spending in May 2007 increased 3.1 percent from last May to $914.5 million, boosted by growth in total visitor arrivals and slightly higher daily visitor spending, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism reported yesterday.

The total number of visitors rose 1.6 percent to 586,338, which was a record for the month of May. There were increases in visitors from the the U.S. West (3.5 percent), U.S. East (6.8 percent) and Canada (8.4 percent). Arrivals from Japan fell by 10.3 percent.

State tourism liaison Marsha Wienert said that while she is pleased with the Mainland-Canada numbers, "We're still concerned in regard with the decreases in the Japan market."

Wienert noted the other big good-news item: a triple-digit increase in cruise visitors.

Of the total number of visitors who came in May 2007, 40,076 visitors either flew to the state to board cruise ships or came by cruise ships visiting Hawai'i. Cruise visitor days for the month rose 173.6 percent.

"May's success can be attributed, for the most part, to the strong performance of Hawai'i's cruise industry, which benefited all of the Islands," Wienert said. "We continue to be optimistic about the visitor industry this year, especially the domestic market."

However, revenue from the cruise industry could take a hit next year when NCL Corp. takes the Pride of Hawaii out of service in the Islands and moves it to the European market. NCL in April announced it would make the move to help stem financial losses in the U.S. market.

Visitors who came to Hawai'i in May spent an average of $179 per person per day, compared with $178 each in May 2006. For the first five months of 2007, total visitor expenditures rose 1.6 percent from the same period last year, to $4.8 billion. Average daily spending grew 2.8 percent to $177 each.

Total visitor days for May 2007 increased 2.7 percent as total arrivals rose 1.6 to 586,338 visitors, setting a record for the month of May. The average length of stay was slightly longer at 8.71 days.

For the first five months of 2007, total visitor days decreased 1.2 percent compared with year-to-date 2006, while total arrivals dipped 0.5 percent.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.