For the first 11 months of this year, both total arrivals to Kaua‘i and numbers of Kaua‘i-only visitors increased compared to the same period last year. Kaua‘i visitor expenditures, according to figures from leaders of the state Department of Business,
For the first 11 months of this year, both total arrivals to Kaua‘i and numbers of Kaua‘i-only visitors increased compared to the same period last year.
Kaua‘i visitor expenditures, according to figures from leaders of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, topped the $1-billion mark last month, with the island’s 10.1-percent gain in that category the best among the counties.
So it makes sense that Kelly Hoen, general manager of the Princeville Resort, gushed that 2004 will be the hotel’s best year ever.
The hotel will end 2004 with its best year ever in terms of occupancy, room rates, and just about every other quantifiable category, she said. “It’s terrific. It’s really nice,” Hoen said.
“Our business was quite good in November,” and over the December holidays the hotel occupancy percentage remains in the “high 90s,” she said.
November at the Princeville Resort was anticipated to be a good month, and even with some travelers looking for and finding discounted room rates there, which helped the occupancy figure, November was still a very good month, she said.
As far as December, “It is exceeding last year, well ahead of last year,” but won’t exceed budgeted expectations, she said.
And next month is shaping up to be “the best January we’ve ever seen,” with a strong February forecast as well, Hoen said.
Hoen said she understands from speaking with other hotel managers on the island that December was a very good month, and that January is shaping up to be strong also.
Some 71,941 visitors came to Kaua‘i last month, down 2.8 percent from the 74,041 arrivals recorded in November of last year, according to the DBEDT figures. But virtually every other Kaua‘i November category saw increases, including total visitors expenditures ($79.7 million, up 4 percent), per-person-per-day spending ($172.80, up 8 percent) and per-person-per-trip spending ($1,107.80, up 7 percent), with both per-person figures the largest increases among any of the counties.
For the first 11 months, there were 931,106 total Kaua‘i visitors, up 3.4 percent over the same period last year and well on pace to again make this a million-visitor year. Over 43 percent of all Kaua‘i visitors came only to Kaua‘i, pushing the Kaua‘i-only visitor arrival figure to 401,711 for the first 11 months, up 12.5 percent compared to the same period last year.
Kaua‘i recorded increases in domestic visitor arrivals for both November and the 11-month period ending Tuesday, Nov. 30, in both the total-arrivals and Kaua‘i-only arrivals categories.
There were 526,661 total visitors to the state last month, and 6,285,740 total visitors to Hawai‘i for the first 11 months, according to the DBEDT statistics.
Paul C. Curtis, associate editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net.
