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Isle hotel
occupancy rebounds
The number of visitors increased
By Russ Lynch
2.6 percentage points in February
after Y2K concerns subsided
Star-BulletinHawaii hotels and resort condominiums had the highest February occupancy in four years as tourists who stayed home at the start of the year, because of Y2K worries and the high costs of millennium vacations, made the trips they had postponed.
PKF-Hawaii, a hospitality industry consulting firm, said today that statewide average occupancy of 86.14 percent for last month, up 2.6 percentage points from 83.57 percent in February 1999.
Room rates were also up, averaging $156.78 a day statewide, a 5.2 percent increase from the year-earlier February average of $149.07.
"It is very encouraging to see occupancy and average daily room rate up for all islands," said Ernie Watari, PKF-Hawaii chairman and chief executive officer.
"The year did not start off with a bang, with statewide occupancy for January 2000 trailing from the prior year. However, the month of February has more than made up for that deficit, with the two-month average occupancy of 78.18 percent exceeding the 1999 average of 77.02 percent," Watari said.
The average room rate was higher than the year-earlier figure for the eighth consecutive month and the statewide average revenue per available room, after accounting for discounts from the posted rates, was up 8.4 percent to $135.05 last month vs. $124.58 a year earlier.
The highest occupancy increase was on the Big Island's Kohala Coast, which jumped 10.6 percentage points to 84.55 percent, from 73.93 percent in February 1999. The average room rate on the Kohala Coast climbed 5.1 percent at the same time to $278.58, the highest in the state and up from $265.14 a year earlier.
That helped bring the overall Big Island figures to an average February occupancy of 82.55 percent, up from a year-earlier 78.61 percent, and an average room rate of $188.53, up from $177.15.
Maui's average occupancy was 89.59 percent last month, up from 89.50 in the previous February, and the average posted Maui room rate was $198.91, up from $185.81. Kauai reported an average February occupancy of 79.49 percent, up from 78.67 percent, and an average room rate of $170.21, up from 156.97. Molokai showed improvement too, with a February occupancy of 58.41 percent, up from 57.67 a year ago, and an average room rate of $79.41, up from $77.40. Oahu had an average February occupancy of 86.48 percent, up from a year-earlier 82.63 percent, and an average room rate of $121.41, up from $117.90.
