The 9.3 million people who visited Hawaii last year paid more for their hotels. So will you
Hawaii received a record 9.3 million visitors last year, a 4.6% increase from 2016. Oahu, home to Waikiki and its world-famous beach, draws the most tourists, but neighbor islands recorded the biggest increases in the number of visitors in 2017.
With more people vacationing in Hawaii came a jump in the average hotel room cost too.
The average daily room price in 2017 climbed to $264 a night, up $10 from the previous year. Last year marked the sixth straight year in which the average room price increased.
Plus this year, visitors will pay 1% more than they did in 2017, thanks to a room tax that took effect Jan. 1. The statewide Transient Accommodations Tax will be used for a light-rail project on Oahu.
The island of Hawaii experienced the biggest growth last year. Nearly 1.8 million travelers explored the island during 2017, a 14% increase from the previous year. Visitor spending was up nearly 15%.
Officials at the Hawaii Tourism Authority, which compiled the figures, credited the tourism boost to the increased number of flights — from the U.S. mainland and Japan — to Hawaii Island.
The second-largest increase in visitors was on Kauai, where the number of arrivals grew 7.5% to nearly 1.3 million tourists. Maui hosted more than 2.7 million tourists, a 4.1% gain.
Oahu’s visitor count also grew by 4.1%. Its total number of tourists, nearly 5.7 million, eclipses that of the other islands.
Despite the upswing in tourists, hotel revenue dropped slightly last year in Waikiki. In contrast, revenue jumped 11.7% on the island of Hawaii. Maui and Kauai’s revenue growth jumped more than 8%.
Rooms below the average $264 a night can be found.
Waikiki’s newest hotel, the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger, celebrated an unofficial opening Feb. 1.
It has been in the midst of a $25-million renovation that’s expected to be completed late this summer. The hotel, which opened in 1970, most recently was branded as a Holiday Inn.
Rates in February start at $259 a night, but guests may find it advantageous to book the Beachcomber Experience Package, which costs $289 and includes a daily $50 food and beverage credit, plus other perks such as free Wi-Fi.
Expect to pay considerably more at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on Maui. To celebrate the North Shore resort’s 25th anniversary, it is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation.
Visitors this year will enjoy remodeled guest rooms as well as changes to the lobby and pool areas. Kai Café, a grab-and-go for breakfast and lunch stop, recently opened as part of the renovations.
In a check Tuesday of the hotel’s online rate calendar, the cheapest room price in February was $489 a night on Feb. 22. Rooms on other nights start at between $984 and $1,424.
UPDATES:
11:14 a.m.: This article was update with information about Hawaii’s Transient Accommodations Tax.
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