With tourism so solidly the base of Hawai'i's economy, the departure of the Pride of Hawai'i for European waters is cause for concern.

That is especially true as the industry ponders recent drops in visitor arrivals and a satisfaction survey that shows Japanese tourists — whose big-spending ways make Island cash registers ring — are less happy with their Hawai'i vacations.

And, as air fares rise due to higher fuel costs, the industry faces challenges ahead. How the industry deals with these challenges is important for all of us, as tourism helps create jobs in other sectors and adds greatly to our tax base.

State economist Pearl Imada Iboshi estimated that the Pride of Hawai'i with a full passenger count of 2,466 per sailing could account for nearly 140,000 visitors to Hawai'i in a year. If none of those lost visitors are replaced, the total spending loss would amount to $368.8 million, Iboshi said.

And with economic multipliers, the total impact on the economy could mean a loss of $542 million a year and 5,000 jobs.

Some of those visitors likely will come to Hawai'i anyway. However, for many who take shipboard vacations, the cruise is more important than the destination. They may choose to go to Mexico or the Caribbean for a cruise rather than catch a flight to Hawai'i.

Up to now, state planners and the tourist industry have not had reliable data on the cost-benefit ratio and environmental impact of the cruise business here. But that void is now being filled with a study funded by the Legislature last year. The study is scheduled to be completed in October.

A 2006 survey commissioned by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority found that 71 percent of Hawai'i residents polled said they believe tourism still brings more benefits than problems. And that survey also suggested a growing belief that our visitor industry is approaching its capacity. The reaction to the Superferry on Maui and Kaua'i likely reinforces that belief.

The impact of the Pride of Hawai'i leaving the islands, the recent downturn in visitor arrivals and the focus on creating a sustainable future should help shape a sensible discussion on what we want to offer visitors — including cruises, ecological, agricultural and health tourism. We must, of course, consider any impact on our environment as well as what kind of tourism jobs we want to see.

We owe it to visitors who come to experience the beauty and culture of our Islands. But more importantly, we owe it to our residents who make their living from tourism, and who call Hawai'i home.