Kauai, Maui
boom while
Oahu suffers
Hotel occupancy numbers for May show that Maui and Kauai travel business continues to boom, while Oahu suffers the loss of Japanese visitors.
Maui hotels and resort condominiums were 71.7 percent full last month, on average, compared with 70.4 percent occupancy in the same month last year, according to the latest monthly survey from PKF-Hawaii. Maui room revenues, a key financial indicator, increased a modest 4.6 percent to $133.74 from $127.89 last year.
But Oahu occupancy fell 11 percent to 65.2 percent from 73.3 percent last year, and room revenues sagged to $66.96 from $74.60. The loss erased the occupancy gains that Waikiki had made last year, and then some, according to PKF. In May 2001, before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Oahu room revenues had been at $86.51.
Big Island occupancy remained flat at 57.7 percent and so did room revenues, at $95.28.
Kauai occupancy, the highest among the islands, improved slightly to 73.8 percent from 72.4 percent. Kauai's occupancy is still off from the May 2000 high of 79.4 percent, PKF said.
Garden Isle room revenues declined 2.5 percent in May 2003 to $97.53 from $99.98 in May 2002.
Waikiki's weak performance dragged down statewide average occupancy to 66.2 percent, compared with nearly 70 percent last year. Room revenue also fell, down 2 percent from $92.82 from $94.76.
"May definitely felt the negative impact from the SARS epidemic with visitors from Japan and throughout the Asian region drastically reducing travel, resulting in an 11 percent decline in occupancy levels for Oahu compared to 2002 and a 4.94 percent decline statewide," PKF-Hawaii Chief Executive Ernest Watari said.
Visitor arrivals this month were down 6.3 percent as of June 18, the result of a 34 percent drop-off in Japanese arrivals. The loss of Japanese visitors is mainly hurting Oahu.
"On the brighter side, Hawaii should see an upsurge in the upcoming month with flight arrivals and bookings already reflecting an increase," Watari said.
