Despite the tremendous losses experienced by Hawaii's visitor industry during the ongoing economic downturn, new research from hotel consultancy Hospitality Advisors indicates that the state is holding its own against international and domestic competitors.

Oahu, whose hotels were 70.9 percent occupied through June, ranked first for occupancy among the top 10 island destinations surveyed in a new quarterly report released yesterday by Hospitality Advisors. In addition, Hawaii topped the ranking of international destinations for average daily room rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR), considered to be the best measure of hotel profitability.

“;Amidst all the bad news that we see in the industry, one of the brighter spots is that we continue to be competitive, and yet we are the most long-haul destination,”; said Joseph Toy, president and chief executive officer of Hospitality Advisors.

Toy said he used data from 38,000 properties representing 5 million rooms worldwide to determine how Hawaii fared against its top island and international competitors.

Maui, ranked No. 5, and Kauai, ranked No. 9, also made the top-10 list of best occupancy among the island destinations surveyed. Rounding out the list was Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, Bali, Aruba, Jamaica, Maldives and Guam.

Maui, Kauai and the Big Island also made the list of highest midyear ADR among island destinations; however, they weren't even close to the $802.48 ADR collected in the Maldives. Through June, Maui's ADR was $242.36, Kauai's was $189.46 and the Big Island's was $187.07.

All of Hawaii's major islands made the top-10 RevPAR ranking among island destinations. Maui's RevPAR, ranked No. 4, was the highest in the Hawaiian Islands. Rounding at the list in Hawaii were Kauai, ranked No. 7, Oahu, ranked No. 9, and the Big Island, ranked No. 10.

Hawaii's occupancy through June dropped 7.8 percent to 66 percent; however, it was the No. 5-ranked international destination after South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Other destinations on Toy's top-10 occupancy list included the Caribbean, Mexico, Thailand and China.

Hawaii's $181.13 ADR and its $119.55 RevPAR through June topped Toy's list of international destinations. Other countries with high ADR at midyear included Singapore, Caribbean, South Korea, Australia, Mexico, China, Thailand and New Zealand. After Hawaii the best RevPAR through June could be found in Singapore, Caribbean, South Korea, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, China and Thailand.

“;While we ranked well against our primary global competitors, it is notable that most of our competitors are also suffering a similar magnitude in hotel industry revenue losses that Hawaii has had to endure over the past 15 months,”; Toy said.

ATTRACTING TOURISTS

The top island and international destinations for revenue per available room through midyear 2009.

Island destinations RevPAR rankings

Source: Smith Travel Research, Hospitality Advisors LLC