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Maui County hotel numbers top most state categories for 2018’s first half

Occupancies lag, but room revenues increase in half-year

The Kaanapali Resort is shown from Black Rock in this photo from December. Hotels and resorts in Lahaina, Kaanapali and Kapalua posted first-half-year occupancies of 78 percent, down 0.3 percentage points from 2017. And their average room rates were up 9.1 percent to $331.73, and revenue per available room was up 8.8 percent to $258.88. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos

Overall, Maui County hotels and resorts were not as full as those on Kauai and Oahu in the first half of this year, but they outperformed properties state-wide by other measures, according to statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Maui County’s hotel occupancy was at 78.7 percent, up only 0.4 percentage point, compared with January through June of 2017. The county’s hotels were behind the state overall, which was at 81.7 percent (up 1.4 percentage points), Oahu at 84.4 percent (up 1.6 percentage points) and Kauai at 79.2 percent (up 2.2 percentage points). Hawaii island hotels had the lowest occupancy rates in the state through the first half of the year — 77.5 percent (up 1.6 percentage points).

Maui County hotels excelled at hauling in money. For hotels on Maui, Molokai and Lanai, the average daily room rate rose 10.9 percent to $398.02, and the revenue per available room grew 11.5 percent to $313.15. The only other county to record double-digit increases was Kauai, with daily rates going up 12 percent to $294.76 and room revenue up 15.2 percent to $233.39.

Statewide, average daily rates were up 6 percent to $280.09, and room revenue increased 7.9 percent to $228.91.

In subareas of counties, Wailea continued to set the pace for luxury resort areas. Its occupancy rates were up 2.4 percentage points to 88.4 percent. Its average daily room rates were up 13.4 percent to $606.71, and its revenue per available room soared 16.5 percent to $536.64.

The Grand Wailea’s Reflection Pool is shown in December. Wailea continued to set the pace for luxury resort areas. Its occupancy rates were up 2.4 percentage points to 88.4 percent. Its average daily room rates were up 13.4 percent to $606.71 and its revenue per available room soared 16.5 percent to $536.64. Posting such numbers put Wailea at the top of markets in the world, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Posting such numbers put Wailea at the top of markets in the world, according to the tourism authority. For example, New York had the highest occupancy rates in U.S. markets at 85.2 percent, 3.2 percentage points below Wailea. And, the Maldives rose to the top of revenue per available room for worldwide “competitive sun and sea destinations” with $446.70, or $89.94 below Wailea.

Hotels and resorts in Lahaina, Kaanapali and Kapalua posted first-half-year occupancies of 78 percent, down 0.3 percentage points from 2017. And their average room rates were up 9.1 percent to $331.73, and revenue per available room was up 8.8 percent to $258.88.

Hotels and resorts elsewhere in Maui County reported occupancy rates of 79.5 percent, up 1.2 percentage points. And, their room rates rose 12.6 percent to $480.29 while their room revenue increased 14.3 percent to $381.75.

Jennifer Chun, Hawaii Tourism Authority tourism research director, said it was “a significant achievement for the state” that Hawaii earned the top national rankings in both revenue per available room and average daily room rates, even as the market is rising nationally.

Maui’s room revenue figure of $313.15 ranked third in the same category, behind French Polynesia, which was at $321.45.

Maui’s average daily room rate of $398.02 was fourth among worldwide sun-and-sea destinations, behind Maldives at $680.12, French Polynesia at $526.67 and Cabo San Lucas at $421.08.

For the full report, visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/research/infrastructure-research/.

* Brian Perry can be reached at bperry@mauinews.com.

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