HONOLULU -- The state senate's approval of the civil unions bill Friday may help boost the number of gay and lesbian tourists to Hawaii and that could offset a recent report that shows Hawaii is declining as a favorite leisure destination for the gay community.

The report by Community Marketing Incorporated of San Francisco shows Hawaii is in 18th place when it comes to favorite leisure destinations in that market -- way behind New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

The report said Hawaii's decline in popularity comes because the state does little to market to the gay community.

Robert Masuga and David Kennedy are a same-sex couple from Chicago.

O'ahu is one of their favorite vacation spots, despite the lack of publicity.

"I've never seen advertising for Hawaii in Chicago," said Masuga.

But they agreed there could be other reasons for Hawaii's decline as a favorite tourist destination among gays and lesbians.

"I think the economy is a big part of it. It's more expensive to come here than it is to go to someplace like California," said Kennedy.

That could be why State Tourism numbers show only 1.6 percent of the total number of U.S. Visitors to Hawaii in 2008 were same sex couples. That compares to 2.3 percent in 2003.

That could mean a loss of millions of dollars for the state's economy, but the Hawaii Tourism Authority said it does not target the gay and lesbian community in its advertising.

Instead their ads are broad, with a focus on avid travelers interested in health and wellness, spas and the culinary arts.

"All of those categories cross all demographic lines," said David Uchiyama, vice president tourism marketing, HI Tourism Authority. "Because of our funding, that's the most effective way to go into the market. It doesn't allow us to drill down as far into the vertical markets."

The HTA said it promotes Hawaii as a destination of tolerance and mutual respect, where all are welcome.

Masuga and Kennedy said the recent state senate passage of the civil unions bill will help.

"That will be a positive thing, definitely," Masuga said. "My own personal choice shouldn't affect you whatsoever and if you're OK with that, I'm more than happy to spend my dollars here than I am someplace who doesn't want me."

The civil unions bill would give same-sex and hetero-sexual couples the same rights and benefits as married couples.

It now goes to the House for consideration and the HTA said it is currently launching a 3-month tourism media blitz on the West Coast at a cost of $4 million.