LIHU‘E — Hawai‘i’s tourism industry recovery continued to gain strength in February with statistical improvements in all major market areas for Kaua‘i and the state compared to the same month last year. “The results were especially significant because the $1
LIHU‘E — Hawai‘i’s tourism industry recovery continued to gain strength in February with statistical improvements in all major market areas for Kaua‘i and the state compared to the same month last year.
“The results were especially significant because the $1 billion in spending surpassed the amount spent during the peak year of 2007 and year-to-date expenditures were up 19.3 percent,” Hawai‘i Tourism Authority President and CEO Mike McCartney said in a statement.
Visitor spending increased 19 percent to $1.01 billion, which HTA attributed to a 6 percent increase in daily visitor spending and a 12 percent increase in arrivals. Visitor days rose 12 percent, but average length of stay remained relatively flat at 1 percent.
Kaua‘i’s visitors estimated their spending hit $98.1 million, rising 25 percent compared to the same month last year. Spending per person per day rose 11 percent to $162, and per person per trip increased 13 percent to $1,124.
An HTA report said tourism from Canada climbed 25 percent and tourism from Japan was up 15 percent, both significant gains compared to February 2010.
“Japanese arrivals, though still an emerging segment on Kaua‘i, showed a sizable increase (up 33 percent to 2,408 visitors) from a year ago,” the report says.
Visitor days were up 12 percent on Kaua‘i to 607,179 and average length of stay rose 2 percent to almost eight days. Ten percent more visitors arrived on island in February, bringing the total count by air to 76,983.
Statewide, average daily room rates rose 10 percent to $192, the average revenue per available room increased 19 percent to $157 and occupancy climbed to average of 82 percent, which is 6 percent higher than February 2010. Kaua‘i’s gains in ADR, RevPAR and occupancy were the lowest among all of the islands, Hospitality Advisors said.
ADR for Kaua‘i rose 5 percent to $195, RevPAR increased 7 percent to $126 and occupancy progressed 1 percentage point to an average of 65 percent compared to a year ago.
Hawai‘i’s greatest gains in ADR were in the budget class lodgings category with a 19 percent increase to $105, but occupancy fell 1 percentage point to an average of 85 percent, Hospitality Advisors said. The luxury market averaged 82 percent occupancy for the month, 7 points higher than a year ago, and luxury ADR achieved a 9 percent increase to a $274 average.
February was the 15th consecutive month of occupancy gains for Hawai‘i.
Joseph Toy, president of Hospitality Advisors said both the Big Island and Kaua‘i would need to achieve stronger and more consistent gains before Hawai‘i can fully recover from the unprecedented downturn of the last three years.”
Transient accommodations taxes for Kaua‘i fell from $1.04 million last year to $995,000. For the state, the Department of Taxation recorded $23.08 million in TA, up from $19.39 million the previous year.
Projections for the rest of 2011 indicate strong growth, McCartney said, but “this changed with the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan.”
Details of impact of the March 11 natural disaster on Hawai‘i’s tourism sector of the economy will become evident in HTA and Hospitality Advisors’ next reports anticipated for release near the end of the month.
Hospitality Advisors’ report is based upon voluntary survey results compiled by Smith Travel Research. The statewide survey for February 2011 is comprised of 84 percent of lodging properties with 20 rooms or more, not including timeshares and vacation rentals.
• Vanessa Van Voorhis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or by emailing vvanvoorhis@thegarden
island.com.
