How more tourists are impacting Hawaii hotels

Hawaii Hotel Occupancy Rate: What a Disaster
Hawaii Hotels

Despite rising numbers of tourists coming to Hawaii, hotels statewide for February 2021 reported continued declines in revenue per available room (RevPAR), average daily rate (ADR), and occupancy compared to February 2020 as tourism continued to be impacted significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

  1. The survey included 148 properties or 81.4 percent of all lodging properties and 86.0 percent of operating lodging properties with 20 rooms or more.
  2. During February, most passengers arriving from out-of-state and traveling inter-county could bypass the Stateโ€™s mandatory 10-day self-quarantine.
  3. Hawaii hotel room revenues statewide still fell to $111.2 million (-72.1%) in February.

According to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authorityโ€™s (HTA) Research Division, Hawaii hotels statewide RevPAR decreased to $79 (-69.9%), ADR fell to $259 (-16.5%), and occupancy declined to 30.5 percent (-54.0 percentage points) in February 2021. The reportโ€™s findings utilized data compiled by STR, Inc., which conducts the largest and most comprehensive survey of hotel properties in the Hawaiian Islands. For February, the survey included 148 properties representing 43,266 rooms, or 81.4 percent of all lodging properties and 86.0 percent of operating lodging properties with 20 rooms or more in the Hawaiian Islands, including full service, limited service, and condominium hotels. Vacation rental and timeshare properties were not included in this survey.

During February, most passengers arriving from out-of-state and traveling inter-county could bypass the Stateโ€™s mandatory 10-day self-quarantine with a valid negative COVID-19 NAAT test result from a Trusted Testing Partner through the stateโ€™s Safe Travels program. All trans-Pacific travelers participating in the pre-travel testing program were required to have a negative test result before their departure to Hawaii. Kauai County continued to temporarily suspend its participation in the stateโ€™s Safe Travels program, making it mandatory for all trans-Pacific travelers to Kauai to quarantine upon arrival except for those participating in a pre- and post-travel testing program at a โ€œresort bubbleโ€ property as a way to shorten their time in quarantine. The counties of Hawaii, Maui and Kalawao (Molokai) also had a partial quarantine in place in February.

Hawaii hotel room revenues statewide fell to $111.2 million (-72.1%) in February. Room demand was 429,700 room nights (-66.5%) and room supply was 1.4 million room nights (-7.3%). Many properties closed or reduced operations starting in April 2020. If occupancy for February 2021 was calculated based on the pre-pandemic room supply from February 2019, occupancy would be 28.4 percent for the month.

All classes of Hawaii hotel properties statewide reported RevPAR losses in February compared to a year ago. Luxury Class properties earned RevPAR of $188 (-61.0%), with higher ADR at $729 (+19.5%) counterbalanced by an occupancy of 25.8 percent (-53.4 percentage points). Midscale & Economy Class properties earned RevPAR of $65 (-64.3%) with ADR at $171 (-18.3%) and occupancy of 37.9 percent (-48.8 percentage points).

All of Hawaiiโ€™s four island counties reported lower RevPAR, ADR and occupancy compared to a year ago. Maui County hotels led the counties in February RevPAR of $141 (-63.8%), with ADR at $446 (-7.3%) and occupancy of 31.7 percent (-49.5 percentage points). Maui Countyโ€™s February supply was 354,800 room nights (-0.3%). Mauiโ€™s luxury resort region of Wailea had RevPAR of $239 (-61.9%), with ADR at $758 (+7.5%) and occupancy of 31.5 percent (-57.5 percentage points). The Lahaina/Kaanapali/Kapalua region had RevPAR of $104 (-67.8%), ADR at $364 (-9.1%) and occupancy of 28.7 percent (-52.3 percentage points).

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor

Linda Hohnholz has been writing and editing articles since the start of her working career. She has applied this innate passion to such places as Hawaii Pacific University, Chaminade University, the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center, and now TravelNewsGroup.

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