Isle hotel occupancy
down again in April

By Russ Lynch

Star-Bulletin\

Statewide hotel occupancy slid to 70.7 percent last month, down from 74.4 percent in the previous April, according to the latest report from the consulting firm PKF-Hawaii.

Slow business in Waikiki brought Oahu's occupancy level to 69.6 percent, down from 77 percent in the year-earlier month. It was the first April in which Waikiki occupancy fell below 70 percent since 1993 and before that, 1981. All other islands except Maui also showed declines.

"The April statistics continue to show the negative impact of the Asian crisis," said Ernie Watari, PKF-Hawaii chairman and chief executive officer. Watari said drastic action is needed to bring back the lost business.

Maui was the lone bright spot with an occupancy average of 76.7 percent, up from 73.4 percent in the year-earlier month.

Big Island occupancy was 65.1 percent, down from 69.7 million.

Kauai was at 70.9 percent, compared to a year-earlier 71.8 percent, and Molokai's occupancy of 34.2 percent, down from 37.4 percent in April 1997.

Statewide occupancy has been down for 12 straight months.

Countering the lower occupancy somewhat was an increase in the statewide average daily room rate, which was $144.40 last month, up 4.5 percent from $138.13 in the previous April.

The highest island-wide room rate average last month was Maui's $170.87, up 9.2 percent from $156.47 in the year-earlier month. Among the individualk resort districts, the Kohala Coast of the Big Island had the highest rate, $219.04, and that was up 10.6 percent from the year-earlier $198.10.