HONOLULU — A report by the Hawaii Tourism Authority indicates the state’s hotel industry had the highest revenue per available room and the highest average daily rate among its competitors in top U.S. markets for the first half of this year.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the revenue per available room increased 8 per cent to US$229 per night for the first half of this year and the average daily rate grew by 6 per cent to $280, compared with the same period last year.
Jennifer Chun, the authority’s research director, says the revenue per available room increased in every class of hotel and in each island county.
According to the report released last week, Hawaii ranked second in the country for occupancy at nearly 82 per cent, behind New York but equal to Orlando, Florida.
The news follows weeks of volcanic activity from Big Island’s Kilauea Volcano, which first erupted on May 3. Although parts of the island are still seeing brushfires and lava flow, the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau has stated that the eruption only affects a small portion of east Hawaii Island’s Puna district (an area of 10 square miles of the 4,028-square-mile island), and that it’s “business as usual”.
All five National Park Service parks, sites and trails are open, as is the Old Mamalahoa Highway, which is popular for scenic coastal drives. Top attractions like the Mokupapapa Discovery Center and the Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo continue to welcome guests, while the Kona Coffee Living History Farm is still offering tours of its coffee estate.
Other major attractions that are open for business include the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) on the Kona Coast, the Puako Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve, the Lyman Museum and Mission House, the ranching town of Waimea, Punaluu Beach (known for its stunning black sands and green sea turtles), the Hawaii Island Coast to Coast Birding Trail, and the 80-foot Waianuenue Falls.
Travellers planning a trip to the island of Hawaii can receive updates by contacting the Hawaii Tourism United States Call center at 1-800-GO-HAWAII.
For more information go to www.GoHawaii.com/Island-of-Hawaii.
