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.

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.