The visitor industry in Hawaii is in a summer slumber that may not pick up any time soon.

Both the number of visitors to Hawaii and visitor expenditures continued double-digit declines for July, according to the latest statistics released yesterday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

The total number of arrivals by air and cruise ship fell 14.1 percent last month compared to July 2007, continuing the downward slump experienced in June, when the year-over-year drop in total arrivals was at 14.2 percent, the worst drop since June 2003.

Kauai has some of the best beaches in the US and arguably in the world. In a recent Orange County Register article Gary Warner lists the five best summer beaches in Hawaii with several being on Kauai. Here is what he has to say about his first pick, Poipu Beach

Waimea canyon on Kauai came in at number 3 in a list of the top 10 free travel destinations in the United States.

The top destinations were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor editors and overall popularity on TripAdvisor.com

If you go bring a jacket (its frequently coved by clouds and rain) and if the weather is not what you wanted, just wait 10 minutes and chances are it will change.

Looking for the best kauai condos?

Some would tell Lori Cardenas that her timing wasn’t exactly the greatest when she purchased Aunty Lilikoi Passion Fruit Products in 2001.

Cardenas and her husband, Tony, bought the tiny Kaua’i company while they were putting their two sons through college in Arizona. A month after getting the five original recipes from previous owner Tom Cassidy, the 9/11 terrorist attacks sent the country and the economy into a tailspin.

But Cardenas was able to keep the Waimea-based small business afloat and even managed to expand its product line and sales. Aunty Lilikoi now produces 17 varieties of passion fruit dressings, sauces, juices, jellies, butter and mustards, and also carries a line of body care and aromatherapy products.

Light to moderate trades winds were helping to keep the vog away from the islands Tuesday, but a shift in the winds expected today may allow the gray haze to return.

A cold front moving in from the northwest is expected to revive the Kona wind conditions that carried a blanket of vog over the islands last week, Maui weather analyst Glenn James said.

“It will be a mirror reflection of last week. Last week the front drove down over Kauai and brought showers to Kauai and Oahu and then stalled,” he said.

Andrew Lambden of Ontario fell in love with Hawaii 20 years ago, but it took a favorable exchange rate to entice him to buy four acres in Kealanani, a luxury development on the northeastern shore of Kauai.

Canadian snowbirds are known to travel long distances in search of warmer climes, but in the past the expense of getting to Hawaii and the high cost of its real estate had deterred both tourism and property purchases.

Airports on Kauai and the Big Island will receive almost $6 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Lihue Airport on Kauai will get $5.7 million in federal funding for improvements to its terminal building.

The grants are a part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, which provides money for planning, development and noise-compatibility projects at public airports.

Visitor arrivals to Hawaii will decline by 3 percent this year, twice as much as previously projected, in part because of the shutdown of Aloha Airlines and ATA, according to the quarterly economic report released by the state of Hawaii on Monday.

The quarterly economic report from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism expects moderate to slower growth for Hawaii this year, and in 2009.

“We believe that our economy will adjust to recent economic events and that our fundamental economic foundation remains strong,” director Theodore E. Liu said in a statement.

Kauai is going high-tech. The donation of a federal grant worth 1.1 million dollars to spur high-tech training and job development on the island was announced earlier this week by U.S. Senator kaniel K Inoye.

The grant will help to renovate a building that will be turned into a high-tech training field for young adults entering the work force.

“While the grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce is for the renovation of a building to house the Waimea Technology and Training Center, its benefits go far beyond bricks and mortar,” Inouye said. “The grant, in essence, supports the mission of the Center. With a new, modern home, the Center will have the facilities to better offer customized technology training.

When people dream of vacationing on a paradise island, Kauai is one of the names that comes to mind. It is an island known for its’ golden sand beaches, breathtaking sunsets, and romantic moments. It is also known as being one of the finest places to golf in all the world.

World Golf Magazine just featured Kauai’s golf courses citing a few Kauai’s top ranked courses.

“Let’s face it, choosing the right golf course in Kauai is a win-win proposition. This is an island that saw several of its golf courses honored by both Conde Nast Traveler readers as among the top-100 of 2007, and Golf Digest, after all,” wrote World Golf Magazine writer William K. Wolfrum.