Isle hotel
occupancy
falls again

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By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Hotel occupancy dropped last month to 71.3 percent statewide, a decline of 4.2 percentage points from 75.5 percent in April 2000.

"Hotel occupancy in almost all markets continued its drop from the prior year's levels, capping off the third straight month of decrease," said Ernie Watari, chairman and CEO of PKF-Hawaii, the consulting firm that put out the figures.

"Such across-the-board decreases are usually caused by widespread impacts such as the current weakness in both the U.S. and Japan economies," said Watari.

The April news was not all negative, however. Watari said the statewide average room rate rose 7 percent, to $165 last month from $154.24 in April 2000. That kept the statewide average revenue per available room -- the room rate times the occupancy percentage -- up 1.1 percent to $117.71 last month from $116.43 the previous April.

Waikiki occupancy rose to 80.4 percent from a year-earlier 79 percent, and the average Waikiki room rate of $127.57 last month was up 5.5 percent from a year-earlier $120.95. Oahu as a whole showed April occupancy of 80 percent, up from 79.4 percent, and the islandwide room rate averaged $126.29, up 5 percent from a year-earlier $120.23.

The major neighbor islands showed occupancy declines. On the Big Island, April occupancy averaged 76.7 percent, down from a year-earlier 78.2 percent, but the average room rate on the island was barely changed at $189.24.

Maui occupancy slipped to 81.6 percent from 82.9 percent, but the average room rate on the island rose a solid 9.8 percent to $219.49 last month, from $199.85 the previous April. Kauai showed average occupancy of 70.6 percent last month, down from a year-earlier 73.7 percent, but its room rate also was up 1.6 percent, to $177.48, from $174.74 a year earlier.