Big Island hotels in September made more money with fewer guests compared to prepandemic rates.
According to data by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, hotels on the Big Island had occupancy rates of about 66% in September, down about 4 percentage points from 2022, and down about 3 points from 2019.
To date, occupancy rates for the year so far are down from previous years, by about 4 points from 2022 and 6 points from 2019.
However, the average daily rate for a hotel room on the Big Island is markedly higher than in either 2019 or 2022. In September, the average night in a hotel room would cost $373.15, 8% higher than the $344.89 it would cost in 2022, and 68% more than the $221.21 in 2019.
Despite the higher prices and lower occupancy, HTA reports that hotel demand on the Big Island is higher than it was prepandemic, albeit lower than it was last year.
The hotel trends on the island only partially mirrored those statewide. Occupancy rates statewide have decreased by 3.5 percentage points since 2019, but have risen by 2 points since last year.
The average cost of a hotel room throughout Hawaii has increased over the past four years. The average rate in September was $345.64, an increase of 3% and 40% from 2022 and 2019, respectively.