LIHU‘E — Visitors’ over-year demand for vacation-rental units on Kaua‘i skyrocketed in September.
A new Hawai‘i Tourism Authority report shows demand, although down from a summertime high, equaled 53,346 unit nights last month. That’s up 1,424.2% from September 2020, when 3,500 unit nights were recorded, but still down 42.5% from September 2019.
Kaua‘i’s total number of vacation rentals, which include houses, condominium units and private or shared rooms or spaces in private homes, also jumped in the past year. The HTA report lists a current islandwide supply of 86,978 units, an annual increase of nearly 25,000, or 40%.
Vacation rentals are generating more money, as well. The average daily rate for a local unit last month was $314.60, about $42 more than last September. This means Kaua‘i’s vacation rentals remain some of the most expensive in the state, on average. Only units on western Maui have a slightly greater ADR.
The HTA’s Kaua‘i statistics reflect trends that go beyond the island. Over-year increases in supply, demand, occupancy and ADR occurred across the state last month.
“However, in comparison to September 2019 … vacation rental supply, demand and occupancy were down,” HTA reported.
JP Parrish of Parrish Kaua‘i said his own experience “is pretty much in line” with the HTA findings, although his company is doing better than it was pre-pandemic.
“I can say that our August, September, October, and it looks like November, will definitely be our best-ever for the company,” Parrish said in a recent interview.
Parrish Kaua‘i’s 2022 bookings are already off the charts when compared to 2019, according to Parrish, but he’s not quite ready to guarantee a bright future.
“It’s a cliché now to say, ‘Hesitantly optimistic,’” Parrish explained. “The thing about all this is, as we saw in March of 2020, it can turn on a dime. So, assuming we stay with this trajectory with regards to everything being under control, and people getting vaccinated and variants that change the game for us, I am optimistic over 2022, for sure.”
I’m wondering what the cost was to for the HTA to provide this vacation rental info to us. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to look at the number of people coming off the flights? Some will always be returning residents, some will stay with friends and the rest will rent something. Is this info worth the busy work involved from the HTA? As for prices per night, why does it matter? If it does, why can’t a simple survey of the vacation rentals be done by phone or email?
We have people who are homeless, we have streets in disrepair and structurally deficient bridges. We have an undersized sewage facility that overflows sometimes. We have schools in need of better ventilation. Why do we continue to fund the HTA for these things or for anything?
Yah its so weird that we, a state that basically runs off tourism, would fund the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Its almost like we want to make sure that we keep the industry going so that people have jobs.
At least half of those “units” should be long term rentals for residents.
We should do away with the HTA, and redirect those funds to help with the real issues facing this ever changing gentrification of Hawaii.