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Hawaii hotels hit
5-year monthly high

All the islands posted increases
in January as statewide occupany
averaged 78.1 percent

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By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii hotels and resort condominiums last month had the highest January occupancy level since 1996, a statewide average of 78.1 percent, according to hospitality industry consultant PKF-Hawaii.

That was an increase of 7.4 percentage points from the January 2000 level of 70.7 percent, providing reason for some optimism, said Ernie Watari, PKF-Hawaii chairman and chief executive officer.

Watari said consumer spending in the United States has slowed because of concerns about the economy and that could cause some travel plans to be shelved.

However, the tourism industry is promoting Hawaii in some foreign countries and that could help to counter any slowdown in travel from the mainland, he said.

Room rates were up in most areas too, showing a statewide January average of $163.49, up 4.1 percent from $157.04 in January 2000.

All islands showed increased occupancy compared with January 2000, with Oahu leading the way at 82.4 percent, up 9 percentage points from 73.4 percent. Oahu room rates averaged $130.20, up 4.6 percent from a year-earlier $124.48.

Waikiki did well with an 83.2 percent occupancy average, up 9 points from 74.2 percent in the year-earlier month.

Waikiki room rates averaged $131.57 last month, up 5.1 percent from $125.24 in January 2000.

Maui's occupancy average was up 7.2 points at 77.9 percent, from 70.7 percent, and Maui had the highest islandwide room rate average, $212 last month, up 7.7 percent from $196.78 in the previous January.

Big Island occupancy was 71.9 percent last month, up 5.1 points from 66.8 percent in January 2000, but the island's average daily room rate slipped 1.5 percent to $189.49, from a year-earlier $192.44.

The main reason was a 6.4 percent drop in rates among the luxury hotels on the Kahala Coast, which averaged $260.68, down from $278.49. Molokai had a 68.3 percent occupancy average, up 8.1 points from 60.2 percent, but the island's average room rate of $88.94 was down 2.6 percent from $91.30.

Kauai had a 63.7 percent occupancy level last month, up 4.4 points from 59.3 percent. The Kauai average room rate of $173.70 was down 1.4 percent from the January 2000 level of $176.22.