Hawaii is facing another problem after a tsunami brought by the massive earthquake in Japan hit the shores of Hawaii and damaged many establishments and homes last week. At the moment, the island is bracing for a decline in the number tourists from Japan.

The island, whose economy depends mostly on tourism, is a top U.S. travel destination for many Japanese citizens.

Japanese account for more than 1.2 million of the total 16.6 million tourists in Hawaii last year. They had dispensed around $1.9 billion in Hawaii or around 17 percent of the state’s $11.4 billion total visitor revenue in 2010.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said the consequences of the downturn in Japanese travelers in the economy of Hawaii might be severe. The state is already experiencing an expected shortfall of almost $1 billion for the next couple of years.

The Japanese are well favored in Hawaii because of their fondness for dining and shopping. Every day, about 13 direct flights travel to the Aloha State from Japan. They bring about 3,000 to 5,000 visitors.

Hawaii has already had several canceled flights from Japan. As a consequence, arrival of thousands of visitors has been hampered. After the March 11 earthquake, new bookings from Japan decreased by half and cancellation of flights tripled, based on the information gathered from H.I.S Hawaii travel agency.

However, the company’s assistant manager Naomi Hashizume said the cancellation rate has decreased to less than 10 percent since Wednesday. Hashizume is still optimistic that the travel market will rebound soon when Japan is fully restored.

The Sahara Hotel & Casino, located on the busy strip of Las Vegas, is closing after almost six decades of business.

Many other casinos established from the early days of gambling in the city of sin have already been rebuilt into top megaresorts. However, owners of Sahara Hotel & Casino have no plans yet for the aging establishment.

According to CEO Sam Nazarian, owner of SBE Entertainment group, the continued operation of the Sahara property is not feasible anymore in terms of cost-efficiency.

The officials said the establishment will close on May 16.

The Sahara opened in 1952. In the 1960s, it was featured in the movie “Ocean’s Eleven” as one of the casinos that was robbed by a group of veterans from World War II.

However, the company might consider Sahara’s complete renovation or reposition, Nazarian said.

He also informed that MGM Resorts International is assisting affected workers to get new jobs. Guests who have reserved for rooms after the date of closure will be given accommodations to the establishment as well.

CEO Jim Murren of MGM Resorts said that closure of establishments or properties is already part of the life cycle in the Sin City. Yet, the property still holds a brighter future, Murren said.

MGM Resorts and SBE Entertainment group have an established relationship in marketing.

Las Vegas’ Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin said improvement of the Sahara property would do well for the Las Vegas strip. But, he thinks SBE might find a difficult time to get financing since Sahara’s neighborhood appears pretty bad.

But, Nazaria believes Sahara and the northern part of the Strip is the future of Las Vegas. He is confident that they will find a comprehensive and creative solution for the historic establishment.