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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, January 4, 2006

November hotel revenue up

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

Beachgoers enjoyed a hot, sunny day yesterday at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki. Hawai'i's visitor industry benefited from strong growth in hotel room rates throughout 2005, thanks to a tight room supply and continued growth in high-end markets.

GREGORY YAMAMOTO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Hawai'i hotel revenue through November matched the record $2.73 billion generated in all of 2004, according to hotel consultancy Hospitality Advisors LLC.

Hotel revenue for 2005 should total about $3 billion, said Hospitality Advisors president Joseph Toy.

The latest hotel numbers are yet another example of the visitor industry's success in 2005. Visitor arrivals broke the 7 million mark in mid-December, beating the 2004 record of 6.99 million tourists.

A tight room supply and continued growth in demand in high-end markets have led to strong growth in room rates through the year, Hospitality Advisors said.

Hotel figures for November also showed substantial year-over-year improvement.

The statewide average daily room rate in November was $165.13, up 15.1 percent over the same month in 2004. Revenue per available room, a key measure of profitability, grew 21.5 percent to $125.35. Hotel occupancy grew 4 percentage points to 75.9 percent.

All major islands saw growth in occupancy, average daily rates and revenue per available room. O'ahu had the largest occupancy gain of 5.3 percentage points to 80.9 percent, while Kaua'i had the lowest, growing 1 percentage point to 71.6 percent.

Maui posted the largest growth in room rates with a 17.8 percent increase to $206.57, the highest average daily rate in the state. Big Island had the smallest gain in room rates, growing 2.9 percent to $164.49.

All hotel categories, from economy to luxury, also posted double-digit increases in revenue per available room. Upscale properties had the largest year-over-year increase of 27.6 percent, followed by luxury (18.3 percent), economy (16.3 percent) and mid-price (15.5 percent).

The monthly hotel survey, compiled by Smith Travel Research with Hospitality Advisors, averaged more than 141 properties representing approximately 48,270 rooms reporting, or 79.5 percent of all lodging properties with 20 or more rooms in the Islands.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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