HTA: Unit Demand for Maui County Vacation Rentals Decreased 96.2% in September

Maui County had the largest vacation rental supply of all four counties in September 2020 with 151,500 available unit nights, which was a decrease of 48.2 percent compared to a year ago.

Details of the report are specified in the “Hawai’i Vacation Rental Performance Report” by the Hawai’i Tourism Authority using data compiled by Transparent Intelligence, Inc.

According to the report, unit demand was 8,200 unit nights (-96.2%), resulting in 5.4 percent occupancy (-68.8 percentage points) with an ADR of $236 (-34.0%). Maui County hotels were 16.5 percent occupied with an ADR of $149.

In September 2020, the total monthly supply of statewide vacation rentals was 401,500 unit nights (-52.5%) and monthly demand was 35,400 unit nights (-94.0%), resulting in an average monthly unit occupancy of 8.8 percent (-60.8 percentage points).

In comparison, Hawai‘i’s hotels had an average occupancy rate of 19.6 percent in September 2020. It is important to note that unlike hotels, condominium hotels, timeshare resorts and vacation rental units are not necessarily available year-round or each day of the month and often accommodate a larger number of guests than traditional hotel rooms. The unit average daily rate (ADR) for vacation rental units statewide in September was $191, which was higher than the ADR for hotels ($149).

On O‘ahu, short-term rentals (rented for less than 30 days) were not allowed to operate during September. For Hawai‘i Island, Kaua‘i and Maui County, legal short-term rentals were allowed to operate as long as they were not being used as a quarantine location.

During September, all passengers arriving from out-of-state, as well as traveling interisland to the counties of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, Maui, and Kalawao (Moloka‘i), were required to abide by a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. The majority of flights to Hawaii were canceled in September because of COVID-19.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s (HTA) Tourism Research Division issued the report’s findings utilizing data compiled by Transparent Intelligence, Inc. The data in this report specifically excludes units reported in HTA’s Hawai‘i Hotel Performance Report and Hawai‘i Timeshare Quarterly Survey Report. In this report, a vacation rental is defined as the use of a rental house, condominium unit, private room in private home, or shared room/space in private home. This report also does not determine or differentiate between units that are permitted or unpermitted. The “legality” of any given vacation rental unit is determined on a county basis.

Other Island Highlights

O‘ahu vacation rental supply was 98,000 available unit nights (-56.4%). Unit demand was 14,200 unit nights (-91.4%), resulting in 14.5 percent occupancy (-59.0 percentage points) and an ADR of $161 (-38.1%). Oahu hotels were 21.3 percent occupied with an ADR of $152.

The island of Hawai‘i vacation rental supply was 89,800 available unit nights (-56.7%) in September. Unit demand was 9,600 unit nights (-92.2%), resulting in 10.7 percent occupancy (-49.2 percentage points) with an ADR of $167 (-35.5%). Hawai‘i Island hotels were 20.9 percent occupied with an ADR of $130.

Kaua‘i had the fewest number of available unit nights in September at 62,100 (-48.9%). Unit demand was 3,500 unit nights (-95.8%), resulting in 5.6 percent occupancy (-62.3 percentage points) with an ADR of $273 (-32.7%). Kauai hotels were 15.1 percent occupied with an ADR of $152.

For September 2020, the report included data for 14,955 units, representing 26,434 bedrooms in the Hawaiian Islands.