Hawaiʻi Hotel Occupancy Climbs to 30.5% for February, Up 8.6% from January

In February 2021, Hawaiʻi hotels statewide reported occupancy rate at 30.5 percent, which is up 8.6 percent from January 2021 but still well below the pre-pandemic occupancy rates of February 2020, according to the Hawaiʻi Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.

Compared to one year ago, statewide revenue per available room (RevPAR) decreased to $79 (-69.9%) and average daily rate (ADR) fell to $259 (-16.5%). In January 2021, the occupancy rate was 21.9 percent, RevPar was $58 and ADR was $251.

Maui County hotels led Hawaiian counties in February RevPAR of $141 (down -63.8% from a year ago), with ADR at $446 (-7.3%) and occupancy of 31.7 percent (-49.5 percentage points).

Maui County’s February supply was 354,800 room nights (-0.3%). Maui’s luxury resort region of Wailea had RevPAR at $239 (-61.9%), with ADR at $758 (+7.5%) and occupancy at 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 at 28.7 percent (-52.3 percentage points).

The report’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 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 State’s mandatory 10-day self-quarantine with a valid negative COVID-19 NAAT test result from a Trusted Testing Partner through the state’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 Hawaiʻi.

Kauaʻi County continued to temporarily suspend its participation in the state’s Safe Travels program, making it mandatory for all trans-Pacific travelers to Kauaʻi to quarantine upon arrival except for those participating in a pre- and post-travel testing program at a “resort bubble” property as a way to shorten their time in quarantine. The counties of Hawaiʻi, Maui and Kalawao (Molokaʻi) also had a partial quarantine in place in February.

Hawaiʻi 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 at 37.9 percent (-48.8 percentage points).

All Hawaiʻi’s counties reported lower RevPAR, ADR and occupancy compared to a year ago.

Oʻahu: Hotels earned RevPAR of $50 (-76.3%) in February, with ADR at $169 (-30.5%) and occupancy at 29.3 percent (-56.7 percentage points). Oʻahu’s February supply was 775,600 room nights (-9.5%). Waikiki hotels earned $45 (-78.0%) in RevPAR with ADR at $164 (-31.4%) and occupancy of 27.6 percent (-58.4 percentage points).

Big Island: Hotels reported RevPAR at $98 (-62.0%), with ADR at $276 (-9.0%) and occupancy at 35.3 percent (-49.3 percentage points). The Big Islandʻs February supply was 186,800 room nights (-0.2%). Kohala Coast hotels earned RevPAR of $154 (-59.5%), ADR at $445 (-2.5%) and occupancy at 34.6 percent (-48.6 percentage points).

Kauaʻi: Hotels earned RevPAR of $48 (-82.0%), with ADR at $181 (-42.9%) and occupancy of 26.4 percent (-57.4 percentage points). Kauai’s February supply was 90,800 room nights, 22.9 percent lower than last February.

Tables of hotel performance statistics, including data presented in the report are available for viewing online at: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/research/infrastructure-research/