I-HONOLULU: Izikhulu zezokuvakasha eHawaii zibheke eChina naseSouth Korea ukusiza ukwehlisa ukwehla okuqhubekayo kwenani lezivakashi ezivela eJapan, umthombo omkhulu wezwe wezivakashi zakwamanye amazwe.
Intshisekelo yalezo zimakethe iza ngesikhathi lapho inani eliphelele labavakashi abaya eHawaii nalo lehla. Cishe izivakashi eziyizigidi ezingu-7.4 zafika eziqhingini ngonyaka odlule, ukwehla ngamaphesenti angu-1.2 kusukela ngo-2006.
Nakuba abafika ngoJanuwari banda ngenyanga efanayo ngonyaka odlule, inani lezivakashi ngo-2008 kulindeleke ukuthi lehle ngamaphesenti angu-1.4.
"Ngeke ngibheje imali ebolekiwe ngokuthi uJanuwari uzoqhubeka," kusho uRex Johnson, inhloko yeHawaii Tourism Authority.
Ngenkathi uJanuwari ebona ukwanda kwezivakashi zaseCanada, abafika abavela eJapan behle ngamaphesenti angama-5.2. AmaJapane angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-1.3 avakashela eHawaii ngonyaka odlule.
UMarsha Wienert, umxhumanisi wezokuvakasha wombuso, uthe izivakashi eziningi zaseJapan azibuyeli eHawaii ngemuva kohambo lwazo lokuqala zivuna izindawo ezintsha, ezishibhile, njengeTaiwan.
Ukwenyuka kwezindleko zikaphethiloli kuholela emananini aphezulu amathikithi, esho.
Ngenkathi izikhulu zezokuvakasha zombuso zizama ukukhulisa ezokuvakasha ezivela eJapan, ziphendukela naseChina naseNingizimu Korea.
Abavakashi baseNingizimu Korea abafikayo bebelokhu bezungeza cishe ku-35,000 ngonyaka - ngaphansi kakhulu kwezingu-123,000 ngo-1996.
Izivakashi eziphuma ezweni kufanele okwamanje zifake isicelo se-visa mathupha Ehhovisi Lenxusa laseMelika eSeoul ngaphambi kokuba balibhekise e-United States.
Izivakashi zesikhashana ezisuka eJapan kanye nezinye izizwe ezikhethiwe, ngokuphambene, zingangena e-United States ngaphandle kokuthola i-visa kusengaphambili.
Izikhulu zezokuvakasha zithi zinethemba lokuthi abantu baseNingizimu Korea bazokwazi ukwenza okufanayo ekupheleni kuka-2008 noma ekuqaleni konyaka ozayo ngaphansi komthetho owasayinwa nguMengameli Bush nyakenye ovumela amazwe amaningi ukuthi afanelekele ukuhoxiswa kwama-visa.
"Sinethemba elikhulu uma iKorea isiyizwe eliyekelela ama-visa ... ukuthi iHawaii izozuza izinzuzo ezinkulu lapho kuthinteka khona ezokuvakasha," kusho uWienert.
Ubuye wengeza ngokuthi iHawaii futhi ilindele ukubona ukwanda kwezivakashi ezivela eChina, lapho iziqhingi zingakwazi ukuzithuthukisa kuze kube muva nje.
Kepha uFrank Haas, umsizi womphathi wesikole sokuphatha imboni yezokuvakasha eNyuvesi yaseHawaii eManoa, uthe amaShayina abhekana nezingqinamba eziningi lapho evakashela eHawaii.
Kufanele bafake izicelo zama-visa mathupha futhi bangabi nazo izindiza ezilula eziya kuhulumeni, esho. Wengeze ngokuthi nakuba izwe linesigaba esiphakathi esikhulayo, alinawo amandla okuchitha eJapane.
“Kulula nje, kuyabiza futhi akubi nankinga ukuthi baye kwenye indawo,” usho kanje.
iht.com
