Hawaii Hotel Performance Report Dec. 2020

Hawaii hotels reported declines in revenue in December 2020. They reported substantial declines in revenue per available room (RevPAR), average daily rate (ADR), and occupancy compared to December 2019 as tourism continued to be impacted significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s (HTA) Research Division, statewide RevPAR decreased to $69 (-75.6%), ADR fell to $291 (-17.6%), and occupancy declined to 23.8 percent (-56.4 percentage points) in Dec. 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.

Beginning Oct. 15, passengers arriving from out-of-state and traveling inter-county could bypass the mandatory 14-day self-quarantine with a valid negative COVID-19 NAAT test result from a Trusted Testing and Travel Partner through the state’s Safe Travels program. Effective Nov. 24, all trans-Pacific travelers participating in the pre-travel testing program were required to have a negative test result before their departure to Hawaii, and test results would no longer be accepted once a traveler arrived in the Hawaiian Islands. On Dec. 2, Kauai County temporarily suspended its participation in the state’s Safe Travels program, making it mandatory for all travelers to Kauai to quarantine upon arrival. On Dec. 10, the mandatory quarantine was reduced from 14 to 10 days in accordance with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines. The counties of Hawaii, Maui and Kalawao (Molokai) also had a partial quarantine in place in Dec.

Last month Hawaii hotel room revenues statewide fell by 77.2 percent to $107.9 million, down from $472.6 million in Dec. 2019. Room demand was 72.3 percent lower than the same period a year ago. Room supply was only 6.6 percent lower year-over-year as properties continued to bring rooms back in service. Many properties that closed or reduced operations starting in April were reopened or partially reopened in Dec. If occupancy for Dec. 2020 was calculated based on the room supply from Dec. 2019, occupancy would be 22.2 percent for the month.

All classes of Hawaii hotel properties statewide continued to report RevPAR losses in Dec. compared to a year ago. Luxury Class properties earned RevPAR of $168 (-71.1%), with ADR at $865 (+8.9%) and occupancy of 19.5 percent (-54.0 percentage points). Midscale & Economy Class properties earned RevPAR of $58 (-66.6%), with ADR at $196 (-6.9%) and occupancy of 29.6 percent (-52.8 percentage points).

All of Hawaii’s four island counties reported lower RevPAR and occupancy. Maui County hotels led the state in RevPAR, earning $130 (-68.5%), with ADR at $501 (-7.4%) and occupancy of 26.0 percent (-50.5 percentage points). The luxury resort area of Wailea earned $218 (-71.4%) in RevPAR, with ADR at $834 (-6.3%) and occupancy of 26.1 percent (-59.3 percentage points).

Oahu hotels earned RevPAR of $43 (-81.8%) in December, with ADR at $184 (-36.0%) and occupancy of 23.6 percent (-59.5 percentage points). Waikiki hotels earned $40 (-82.7%) in RevPAR with ADR at $182 (-35.1%) and occupancy of 22.3 percent (-61.2 percentage points).

Hotels on the island of Hawaii reported RevPAR of $88 (-66.2%), with ADR at $329 (+0.1%) and occupancy of 26.8 percent (-52.7 percentage points). Kohala Coast hotels earned $146 in Dec. RevPAR (-62.6%), with ADR at $542 (+10.2%) and occupancy of 26.8 percent (-52.2 percentage points).

Kauai hotels earned RevPAR of $24 (-90.3%) in Dec., with ADR at $178 (-47.9%) and occupancy of 13.4 percent (-58.7 percentage points).