Hawaii hotel occupancy 76.5%

Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Hawaii hotel occupancy 76.5%

Tourists who don't know it's supposed to be the off-season -- or who are taking advantage of that to get somewhat lower hotel rates -- flocked to Hawaii last week, leaving hotels more than three-quarters full.

The statewide occupancy rate for Oct. 10-16 was 76.5 percent, an improvement of 2.3 points from the same period last year. Room rates were 4.3 percent higher than that same period, but well below peak summer levels, Hospitality Advisors LLC reported Friday.

Around the islands:

Oahu: 77.8 percent. More than half the hotel rooms in Hawaii are in Waikiki, and Oahu room rates actually declined 1.6 percent from the same week last year, to less than $124 a night.
Maui: 79.1 percent. Hotel rooms that cost more than $200 a night in the summer went down to an average of $174, though that was still 7.1 percent more than year-ago levels. Occupancy was up 11.7 points.
Kauai: 79.9 percent. Occupancy fell 5.9 points even though inventory is lower this year, the result of some Kauai hotels becoming vacation condos. Room rates rose 8.6 percent to an average $175.
Big Island: 66 percent. The Big Island is usually less full at this time of year, but this figure represents an 11.3 point decline in occupancy, year-to-year. Room rates rose 15 percent to an average $153 a night.
For comparison, the national hotel occupancy rate for the same seven-day period was 68.5 percent, a 2.4 point improvement from last year, with room rates up 4.7 percent, Smith Travel Research LLC reported. Orlando had the same occupancy as Oahu while Los Angeles and San Diego were less full.