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Kauai Chamber of Commerce : Doing Business on Kauai : Kauai Industries Kauai Industries
 Visitor Industry According to the University of Hawai`i Economic Research Organization’s Kaua`i Economic Outlook (June 2004), Kaua`i visitor arrivals on mainland flights ran 2.7% above prior year levels during the first four months of 2004. Despite global setbacks to the travel and tourism industry in 2001-2003, Kauai’s visitor industry has made a very strong comeback with near future forecasts very favorable. In recent years, Kauai’s economy has fared significantly better than other neighbor islands, even during soft periods. Part of Kauai’s success is due to Kauai’s strength in the domestic travel market as well as the large number of time-share and condominium owners who have kept Kauai’s visitor industry busy when other destinations were not as fortunate. Time share units on Kaua`i represented 35% of the state’s total in 2002 and one-fifth of all accommodation on the Island. Also known as Hawaii’s “island of discovery,” Kaua`i has evolved from a quiet get-away destination to an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, world famous for its pristine natural wonders. These days, Kaua`i is also gaining in popularity as an upscale destination, while still offering plenty of options for budget travelers. It is worth noting that Travel + Leisure magazine named Kaua`i the #1 Hawaiian island in 2003 and 2004, and #2 best overall island in the world for 2004. Compact, clean, beautiful, friendly and easy to navigate, it is no wonder Kauai’s visitor industry is booming. In 2005, visitors arriving by air in December numbered 93,342, an increase of 15.1% over the previous December. Meanwhile, an increase in cruise ship arrivals has had a positive impact on Kauai’s economy. In 2005, Kaua`i saw a total of 299,822 cruise visitors in 2004. According to a February 2005 report by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), strong growth in international and domestic visitors to Hawai`i contributed to a 14 percent increase in total visitor days for January 2005, compared to January 2004. Due to the strength of tourism on Kaua`i, solid growth has been forecast through ‘06. Kaua`i’s visitor industry is supported and promoted by the non-profit Kaua`i Visitors Bureau (KVB), which maintains effective partnerships with community, government and business interests on Kaua`i’. Additional visitor information can be found at Kaua`i County’s website.Technology & Defense
The development of the West Kaua`i Tech Center http://www.kedb.com/techcenter/ began in September 1992, immediately following devastating Hurricane Iniki in an effort to revitalize and diversify Kauai’s economy, specifically in the fields of science, technology, techno-tourism and agribusiness. Currently, the two-phase WKTVC facility has nine offices, a visitor center and a video-teleconferencing room. At a land blessing ceremony in April 1998, Hawai`i Senator Daniel Inouye called the Tech Center concept “a model for the state and nation in bridging the science and technology and visitor communities.” Completed in February 1999, the 7500 square foot WKTVC today provides a home for high-tech industry on West Kaua`i, as well as a Visitor Center designed to appeal to island visitors and residents with cultural programs, walking tours, exhibits, demonstrations and internet access. Exhibits and displays are centered on the theme of “Enduring Engineering,” bridging ancient Hawaiian cultural and traditional practices. Scheduled cultural programs and the historic Waimea walking tour are provided free – Registration Required. Free Internet Access. Further west at Barking Sands, the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) is the world’s largest instrumented multi-environment range facility for supporting, testing and training battle operations and national defense objectives for the Department of Defense and other government agencies. Additionally, PMRF provides fleet training for the U.S. Navy and the navies of allied nations and plays a significant role in the testing and evaluation of future systems, including the AEGIS ballistic missile defense system and upcoming THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Air Defense) system. PMRF is one of Kauai’s largest employers with nearly 1,000 active duty Navy, government, civil service and contract civilians, and Hawai`i Air National Guard members. PMRF’s prime contractor is ITT Services, with approximately 500 employees, providing base support as well as high-tech range safety and scheduling operations. Numerous other contractors, both on and off Kaua`i, are associated with PMRF. An active participant in the community, PMRF participates in the Mayor’s Adopt a School program, and is actively engaged in math and science programs and facility upgrade projects. PMRF is also the largest business contributor to the Kaua`i Food Bank and many of its employees serve as sports program coaches and mentors for Kauai’s youth. Employment at PMRF remains stable, with a possible increase in opportunities arising from future programs such as THAAD. Agriculture
The aptly named Garden Island is, from an agricultural perspective, a challenging, but rewarding place to do business. Kauai’s 365-day-a-year growing season affords farmers and gardeners the opportunity to grow everything from tropical fruits and flowers to traditional Polynesian and row crops, endangered native plants and exotic hardwoods. The largest coffee estate in the U.S. is the Kaua`i Coffee Company on Kauai’s south side which has 3,400 acres dedicated to growing an annual yield of 3.5 million pounds (60% of Hawaii’s total output). In terms of economic value, Kauai’s number one crop today is seed corn which is grown largely on west Kaua`i and exported to the U.S. mainland. Other important crops include coffee, guava, taro and sugar. On the north shore of Kaua`i, Kilauea Agronomics, Inc. (Guava Kai) has transformed former sugar land into 450 acres of guava orchards, producing 12 million pounds of fruit annually. Also on the north shore, in the Hanalei Valley, roughly two-thirds of Hawaii’s six million pounds of poi taro (an important traditional Hawaiian staple) is grown and processed. Sugar, for 150 years the leading crop of Hawai`i, is currently grown commercially in only two places in Hawai`i, one of which is Gay & Robinson, Inc. on Kaua`i’s west side. Gay & Robinson, that maintains 8,781 acres, grew 21% of Hawaii’s sugar, 59,085 tons, in 2004. Additionally, Kaua`i farmers grow papayas, bananas, tropical specialty fruits like rambutan, lychee and longan, row crops like bok choi and lettuce as well as hardwoods like teak, mahogany, albizia, and tropical flowers, although none of these are major crops now. Beef cattle are also raised and exported to the U.S. mainland while small hog and chicken operations remain for domestic consumption. The landscaping and nursery businesses are also important to Kauai’s agriculture economy. For more information about agriculture on Kaua`i, visit the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture or Hawai`i Agricultural Statistics (HAS). Although Kaua`i is a small island in the middle of the ocean, living here isn’t quite like a survival game. All the conveniences and technology that support a thriving economy in the rest of the country are available here, just on a smaller scale. HealthcareAccording to a 2004 United Health Foundation study, Hawaii’s population was ranked the fourth healthiest in America, up from the #10 position in 2003. This high ranking is reflected in the superior medical care available on Kaua`i.
In December 2001, Wilcox Memorial Hospital merged with Straub Clinic and Hospital and Kapi`olani Health on O`ahu to create Hawaii Pacific Health, bringing four hospitals, 23 clinics and 30 community outreach programs under one of Hawaii’s largest health care organizations. Wilcox Memorial Hospital and associated clinics continue to grow, providing exceptional care for all on Kaua`i. Wilcox Hospital and the adjacent Kaua`i Medical Clinic are located in central Lihu`e with four additional neighborhood clinics around the island. Among Kauai’s top businesses, Wilcox Health employs a diverse team of more than 900 associates, including highly trained and board certified health workers who provide the finest care in family practice, emergency medicine and 22 specialties. For more information, visit www.wilcoxhealth.org and www.hawaiipacifichealth.org. Another excellent facility is the West Kaua`i Medical Center which includes the Kaua`i Veteran’s Memorial Hospital and the Kawaiola Medical Office Building (MOB) in Waimea. For almost half a century the KVMH (dedicated to veterans, but open to all) has been meeting the medical needs of residents from not only the west side, but communities around the island. KVMH, along with MOB, offers family practice, 24-hour emergency care, outpatient care, surgery, physical therapy, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, a pharmacy and more. For more information visit www.kvmh.hhsc.org. In Kapa`a the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital established in 1917, is the oldest operating hospital on Kaua`i, providing outpatient services like radiology, mammography, and physical therapy as well as inpatient long term care and acute psychiatric. For more information visit www.smmh.hhsc.org. The island of Kaua`i itself, seen by many as a place of healing, also has a wealth of alternative health services as varied as traditional Hawaiian healing therapies to naturopathy, acupuncture, sound therapy and reiki, in addition to many specialists and medical practitioners. General information about health care on Kaua`i can be found at the Hawai`i State Dept. of Health. EducationKaua`i County has 16 public schools, three charter schools, four independent schools, four parochial schools, more than a dozen pre-kindergarten programs and one community college which is part of the University of Hawai`i system.
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Technology and defense play an important role in Kauai’s economy with the West Kaua`i Technology & Visitor Center (WKTVC) and the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) both major employers on Kauai’s west side.
Kauai’s agriculture started in the early Hawaiian lo`i kalo (terraced taro fields) and continues to form a vital part of the economy of this tropical rural county.
Kauai’s residents and visitors are provided round the clock health care at Wilcox Health (Wilcox Memorial Hospital, Kaua`i Medical Clinic and the Wilcox Health Foundation). Recognized as one of the Top 100 Rural Hospitals in the U.S., Wilcox has been serving the people of Kaua`i since 1938 with the vision of “a healing environment in a healthy community.”
Public Schools K-12
Kaua`i Community College (KCC), part of the University of Hawai`i system, was founded as a vocational school in 1928 and has been a comprehensive community college since 1965. Today KCC, located in Puhi, just west of central Lihu`e, offers courses in business, technology, nursing, liberal arts, hospitality, culinary arts, autobody and automotive technology and early childhood education besides serving as a community gathering spot for residents and visitors.
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Kauai Chamber of Commerce