LIHU‘E — A surge in visitor spending across the Hawaiian Islands in March was fueled, in part, by an accommodation sector which is far outperforming pre-pandemic numbers.
Hawai‘i hotel room revenue totaled $509.1 million in March, which was up 6 percent from March 2022 and 35.4 percent from March 2019, according to the Hawai‘i Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.
The increase in revenue came amid mixed room demand, which measured 1.3 million nights in March. That was up 2.0 percent from March 2002, but off 0.3 percent from March 2019.
Hotels on Kaua‘i were a primary contributor, as evidenced by an average daily rate of $404 in March. That was 4.1 percent higher than March 2022, and 42.0 percent more than March 2019.
Hotels on Maui drew top dollar, with an average daily rate of $646, which was up 1.9 percent from March 2022, and 52.1 percent from March 2019.
Hotels on Hawai‘i Island weighed in with an average daily rate of $430 in March, down 1.3 percent from March 2022, but up 56.8 percent from March 2019.
Hotels on O‘ahu were a bargain by comparison, with an average daily rate of $273 in March. That marked an increase of 12.3 percent from March 2022, and 18.9 percent in March 2019.
The average daily rate figures from the four major Hawaiian Islands landed each among the most expensive of the so-called “sun and sea” destinations across the globe in the first quarter of the year.
Maui ranked third behind hotels in Maldives, which claimed the top spot, and French Polynesia, which ranked second. Hawai‘i Island, Kaua‘i and O‘ahu ranked sixth, seventh and 10th, respectively. “Sun and sea” destinations are designated as such because of location and weather conditions.
Results from the report were derived from a survey of 153 properties, which represented 46,640 rooms, or 84 percent of all lodging properties with 20 rooms or more in the Hawaiian Islands. That roster of properties included full service, limited service and condominium hotels.
More narrowly, the survey included 76 properties on O‘ahu, which represented 28,130 rooms, or 92.6 percent; 41 properties on Maui, which represented 9,927 rooms, or 73.5 percent; 16 properties on Hawai‘i Island, which represented 4,879 rooms, or 72.4 percent; and 20 properties on Kaua‘i, which represented 3,704 rooms, or 76.3 percent.
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Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
