Star Advertiser published an article a few days ago about the increase in spending by foreign students over the last four years. Their spending has increased by 47% over time and it seems as this trend will continue as enrollment of international students increases every year. Hawaii is a melting pot of different cultures, which attracts students of all countries and this is very good for our economy. We at Bratton Realty Advisors believe that this trend will continue to be profitable for universities, as well as other industries and developments. Apartment building owners are seeing growth from these international students because they have higher budgets and more opportunities than some of the local student population. This excites our team because we see the possibility of new developments and apartment buildings with plenty of potential renters. The international students bring a lot of influence to our market and we are seeing developers, owners, and entrepreneurs respond to this influence. It’s an exciting trend on the islands and we are curious to see how our market and the different spheres of our economy will respond.
Dave Segal at the Star Advertiser interviewed one of the executives of University of Hawaii about this growth and why students from other countries are so interested in our schools. She says, “’The best thing about having international students is what they bring to our state,’ said Joanne Taira, senior executive for international and strategic initiatives for the UH system. ‘This is a pretty isolated place in the world and the international students are just a real valuable part of the educational process. We’re a globalized economy in this day and age and there’s so much student mobility within and between Asian countries and the U.S. Having international students brings that exposure to global shifts.’ She said foreign students are attracted to UH and Hawaii because of UH’s reputation as a research university and its outstanding programs; the range of UH institutions from two-year colleges to Manoa; and the state’s multicultural mix, safety and quality of life.”