Hawaii hotel revenue on the upswing

In May 2021, Hawaii hotels statewide reported substantially higher revenue per available room (RevPAR), average daily rate (ADR), and occupancy compared to May 2020. When compared to May 2019, statewide daily room rates in May 2021 were higher but occupancy and RevPAR were lower. Hawaii’s quarantine order for travelers due to the COVID-19 pandemic began on March 26, 2020, which immediately resulted in dramatic declines for the hotel industry. Year-to-date, the statistics for statewide hotel RevPAR, ADR, and occupancy were lower compared to the first five months of 2020.

According to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s (HTA) Research Division, statewide RevPAR in May 2021 was $177 (+867.7%), with ADR at $288 (+139.8%) and occupancy of 61.5 percent (+46.3 percentage points). Compared to May 2019, RevPAR was 12.3 percent below 2019 levels, ADR was 12.6 percent higher, and occupancy was 17.5 percentage points lower.

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 May, the survey included 140 properties representing 44,771 rooms, or 82.9 percent of all lodging properties1 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 May 2021, 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 prior to their departure to Hawaii through the Safe Travels program. Starting May 11, people fully vaccinated in Hawaii could travel inter-county without pre-travel testing or quarantine beginning the 15th day after the completion of their vaccination. The counties of Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, and Kalawao (Molokai) had a partial quarantine in place in May.

Hawaii hotel room revenues statewide rose to $285.9 million (+1,818.3% vs. 2020, -15.5% vs. 2019) in May. Room demand was 993,600 room nights (+699.8% vs, 2020, -25.0% vs. 2019) and room supply was 1.6 million room nights (+98.3% vs. 2020, -3.7% vs. 2019). Many properties closed or reduced operations starting in April 2020. Due to these supply reductions, comparative data for certain markets and prices classes were not available for 2020; comparisons to 2019 have been added.

Luxury Class properties earned RevPAR of $354 (-2.0% vs. 20192), with ADR at $664 (+36.4% vs. 20192) and occupancy of 53.3 percent. Midscale & Economy Class properties earned RevPAR of $164 (+427.1 vs. 2020, +25.1% vs. 2019) with ADR at $240 (+162.3% vs. 2020, +49.4% vs. 2019) and occupancy of 68.3 percent (+34.3 percentage points vs. 2020, -13.3 percentage points vs. 2019).

Maui County hotels led the counties in May and achieved performance that surpassed May 2019. RevPAR was $314 (+1,625.7% vs. 2020, +19.1% vs. 2019), with ADR at $467 (+329.9% vs. 2020, +35.3% vs. 2019) and occupancy of 67.1 percent (+50.4 percentage points vs. 2020, -9.1 percentage points vs. 2019). Maui’s luxury resort region of Wailea had RevPAR of $439 (-0.2% vs. 20192), with ADR at $717 (+41.5% vs. 20192) and occupancy of 61.2 percent (-25.6 percentage points vs. 20192). The Lahaina/Kaanapali/Kapalua region had RevPAR of $267 (+6,204.2% vs. 2020, +21.1% vs. 2019), ADR at $391 (+447.4% vs. 2020, +33.4% vs. 2019) and occupancy of 68.4 percent (+62.5 percentage points vs. 2020, -7.0 percentage points vs. 2019).

Hotels on the island of Hawaii reported RevPAR at $190, which was an improvement even over May 2019 performance (+768.5% vs. 2020, +13.3% vs. 2019), with ADR at $304 (+210.9% vs. 2020, +29.6% vs. 2019), and occupancy of 62.7 percent (+40.2 percentage points vs. 2020, -9.0 percentage points vs. 2019). Kohala Coast hotels earned RevPAR of $300 (+27.4% vs. 20192), with ADR at $454 (+37.4% vs. 20192), and occupancy of 66.1 percent (-5.2 percentage points vs. 20192).

Kauai hotels earned RevPAR of $157 (+743.7% vs. 2020, -14.7% vs. 2019), with ADR at $272 (+118.6% vs. 2020, +5.3% vs. 2019) and occupancy of 57.7 percent (+42.7 percentage points vs. 2020, -13.5 percentage points vs. 2019).

Oahu hotels reported RevPAR of $116 (+571.3% vs. 2020, -37.5% vs. 2019) in May, ADR at $196 (+43.9% vs. 2020, -12.7% vs. 2019) and occupancy of 59.3 percent (+46.6 percentage points vs. 2020, -23.6 percentage points vs. 2019). Waikiki hotels earned $110 (+915.0% vs. 2020, -40.4% vs. 2019) in RevPAR with ADR at $186 (+45.5% vs. 2020, -16.1% vs. 2019) and occupancy of 59.4 percent (+50.9 percentage points vs. 2020, -24.1 percentge points vs. 2019).

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