Very interesting.

I have read many times that National Cemetery of the Pacific is the number one attraction in Hawaii.

5,000,000 visitors annually.

What constitutes an "attraction"?

Waikiki Beach is not on the list, although good ol' Waikiki Beach did make a Forbes Traveler list of the ten most over hyped beaches in the world (and justifiably so).

Probably no one is keeping count for Punchbowl visits.

I am a little surprised that Honolulu Zoo is on the list. I went there once because I have nothing to do that day and figured why not, but I actually prefer the little Aquarium to the Zoo, at least with the Aquarium I'm out of the heat.

1. How do they count visitors to Dole Plantation? I've never seen anyone in the parking lot with a "clicker". Do we count when we stop in to use the lua on the way back from North Shore? Maybe its based on how many flushes there are each day.

2. They left Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park off the list. It drew more than 1,000,000 guests in 2007 (according to Pacific Business News).

3. Dusty, they stopped keeping track of Punchbowl visits after 1991. And you are correct, the total count was typically over 5 million annually; at 5,522,948 in 1991.

4. Doesn't "1,000,000" seem like an awfully rounded number at Haunauma Bay? And the exact same count two years runnning?

5. Although the State has not published an update of its official figures through 2007, the PBN list is taken from a table compiled by the State DBEDT. For the figures on all the major "attractions" statewide, see table 7.43 at:

hawaii.gov/dbedt/…section07.xls

6. Good point Rusty. If you look at Table 7.51 in the series cited above, you will see there were an estimated 6,644,927 visitors to Waikiki Beach in 2006; probably making it the number one or two "attraction" in the State (I think Ala Moana Shopping Center would be number one).

Of course, the beach count seems kind of iffy (probably understated) as it is based on a headcount done on three random days yearly.

7. And, if you included UH varsity sports, it would be about 800,000; placing it between the PCC and Hanauma Bay. And don't forget the Ala Wai Golf Course.

A shopping center and a beach #1 and 2? Humm how about HNL airport, bet it gets more people hitting it than anything else....lol

Another good point, Bill...

At over 9 million users annually it would be up there. Of course, maybe then we should also count freeway users...a bazillion daily.

But while lots of folks pass through or use HNL, I'm not sure how many are going there by choice as an "attraction", a definition that goes begging for precision.

And, I wasn't totally joking about Ala Moana Center. Even if you leave out local patrons, there are still huge numbers of visitors. Tourist surveys consistently show that "shopping" is among the top two or three activities (often number one) among Hawaii visitors....just like in many destinations.

Per note line published by Pacific Business News, The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl is not a "visitor attraction" per se, but a national shrine dedicated to the service of American veterans.

The informations supplied to this article was presented by individuals through surveys, telephone interviews and Web sites.

This list of "Most-Visited Attractions" was researched by Cynthia Gibson, I believe a staff member of PBN. Her email: cgibson@bizjournals.com.

"The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl is not a "visitor attraction" per se, but a national shrine dedicated to the service of American veterans."

Could one say the same thing about USS Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri, etc.?

My thought is that if something attracts visitors, it is an attraction regardless if it is a memorial, shrine or whatever.

I agree wholeheartedly Dusty.

The distinction the reporter/newspaper is trying to make is to cover the fact that no current data is available for their survey; so classify it as something else and then exclude it from the surveyed universe.

But, there is absolutely no doubt the Punchbowl is much more than a cemetery historically, memorially and as a visitor attraction.

If fact the OFFICIAL website of the US Department of Veteran Affairs describes the facility:

"The Punchbowl has become one of the area’s MOST POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATIONS. More than five million visitors come to the cemetery each year to pay their respects to the dead and to enjoy the panoramic view from the Punchbowl. One of the most breathtaking views of the Island of Oahu can be found while standing at the highest point on the crater’s rim. (EMPHASIS ADDED)"

Quite interesting reading on the current and pre-cemetery use of the site at:

http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/nmcp.asp

Amber, Bill and others ... I can see ... or at least it is becoming clearer ... why the Ala Moana Shopping Center ranks so high. Apparently, Honolulu is a primo place to shop and draws from many counties for that very reason. I always thought that it was wierd to see woolens and blue jeans and sweaters on sale ... until I started reading posts here on TA from our friends in England and Australia or Japan about shopping sprees.