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Hawaii hotels: Flat average daily rate, lower occupancy so far in 2019

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For the first three months of 2019, Hawaii hotels statewide reported flat average daily rate (ADR) and lower occupancy, which resulted in lower revenue per available room (RevPAR) compared to the first quarter of 2018.

According to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), statewide RevPAR declined to $236 (-3.3%), with ADR of $292 and occupancy of 80.8 percent (-2.7 percentage points) in the first quarter of 2019.

HTA’s Tourism Research Division issued the report’s findings utilizing data compiled by STR, Inc., which conducts the largest and most comprehensive survey of hotel properties in the Hawaiian Islands.

For the first quarter, Hawaii hotel room revenues fell by 4.7 percent to $1.13 billion compared to the $1.18 billion earned in the first quarter of 2018. There were more than 74,300 fewer available room nights (-1.5%) in the first quarter and approximately 190,500 fewer occupied room nights (-4.7%) compared to a year ago. Several hotel properties across the state were closed for renovation or had rooms out of service for renovation during the first quarter.

All classes of Hawaii hotel properties statewide reported RevPAR declines in the first quarter of 2019 except Upper Midscale Class properties ($134, +0.6%). Luxury Class properties reported RevPAR of $452 (-5.4%) with ADR of $594 (-1.2%) and occupancy of 76.1 percent (-3.3 percentage points). At the other end of the price scale, Midscale & Economy Class hotels reported RevPAR of $155 (-5.0%) with ADR of $187 (-0.5%) and occupancy of 83.1 percent (-3.9 percentage points).

Comparison to Top U.S. Markets

In comparison to top U.S. markets, the Hawaiian Islands earned the highest RevPAR at $236 in the first quarter, followed by the San Francisco/San Mateo market at $210 (+15.9%) and the Miami/Hialeah market at $208 (-3.5%). Hawaii also led the U.S. markets in ADR at $292 followed by San Francisco/San Mateo and Miami/Hialeah. The Hawaiian Islands ranked fifth for occupancy at 80.8 percent, with Miami/Hialeah topping the list at 83.0 percent (-2.1 percentage points).

Hotel Results for Hawaii’s Four Counties

Hotel properties in Hawaii’s four island counties all reported RevPAR decreases in the first quarter of 2019. Maui County hotels led the state overall in RevPAR at $337 (-2.7%), with ADR at $428 (-0.9%) and occupancy at 78.6 percent (-1.5 percentage points).

Kauai hotels earned RevPAR of $228 (-10.2%), with flat ADR at $305 (+0.2%) and lower occupancy of 74.8 percent (-8.7 percentage points).

Hotels on the island of Hawaii reported a decline in RevPAR to $225 (-9.7%), due to a combination of decreases in both ADR ($285, -2.0%) and occupancy (79.1%, -6.7 percentage points).

Oahu hotels earned slightly lower RevPAR at $196 (-0.9%), with ADR at $236 (+0.8%) and occupancy of 83.0 percent (-1.4 percentage points).

Comparison to International Markets

When compared to international “sun and sea” destinations, Hawaii’s counties were in the middle of the pack for RevPAR in the first quarter of 2019. Hotels in the Maldives ranked highest in RevPAR at $575 (+4.5%) followed by Aruba at $351 (+11.2%). Maui County ranked third, with Kauai, the island of Hawaii, and Oahu ranking sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

The Maldives also led in ADR at $737 (+5.2%) in the first quarter, followed by French Polynesia at $497 (-1.1%). Maui County ranked fifth, followed by Kauai and the island of Hawaii. Oahu ranked ninth .

Oahu trailed Phuket (84.5%, -6.3 percentage points) in occupancy for sun and sea destinations in the first quarter. The island of Hawaii, Maui County and Kauai ranked fourth, fifth and ninth, respectively.

March 2019 Hotel Performance

In March 2019, RevPAR for Hawaii hotels statewide declined to $227 (-4.3%), with ADR of $285 (-1.1%) and occupancy of 79.6 percent (-2.7 percentage points).

In March, Hawaii hotel room revenues fell by 5.9 percent to $373.3 million. There were more than 27,200 fewer available room nights (-1.6%) in March and approximately 66,850 fewer occupied room nights (-4.9%) compared to a year ago. Several hotel properties across the state were closed for renovation or had rooms out of service for renovation during March. However, the number of rooms out of service may be under-reported.

All classes of Hawaii hotel properties statewide reported RevPAR declines in March. Luxury Class properties reported RevPAR of $443 (-7.2%) with ADR of $583 (-3.1%) and occupancy of 75.9 percent (-3.4 percentage points). Midscale & Economy Class hotels reported RevPAR of $150 (-2.9%) with ADR of $182 (+0.8%) and occupancy of 82.0 percent (-3.1 percentage points).

Hotel properties in Hawaii’s four island counties all reported lower RevPAR for March. Maui County hotels reported the highest RevPAR in March at $336 (-1.4%) with ADR of $421 (-1.6%) and flat occupancy (79.8%, +0.2 percentage points).

Oahu hotels reported lower occupancy (80.4%, -2.3 percentage points) and flat ADR ($230, -0.2%) for March.

Hotels on the island of Hawaii continued to face challenges in March, with RevPAR dropping 11.2 percent to $216, ADR to $272 (-4.9%) and occupancy to 79.2 percent (-5.7 percentage points).

RevPAR for Kauai hotels fell to $213 (-14.6%) in March, with declines in both ADR to $286 (-4.5%) and occupancy to 74.4 percent (-8.8 percentage points).

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Malta, where Game of Thrones all began, plays host to the 5th Annual Valletta Film Festival

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Malta, the first location for Season One of  Game of Thrones, plays host to the annual  Valletta Film Festival (VFF), June 14-23, presented by the Film Grain Foundation. This year will mark the Fifth Anniversary of this exciting film lovers’ event. During the ten-day event, Valletta will be transformed into a live cinema with screenings and events taking place in historic buildings and outdoor venues including Pjazza Teatru Rjal and Pjazza San Ġorġ. Over the years, the streets of Valletta hosted various international productions like World War Z, Assassin’s Creed, The Count of Monte Cristo, Game of Thrones and Murder on the Orient Express.

Pjazza Teatru Rjal/Photo courtesy of Film Grain Foundation – Ali Tollervey

The VFF attracts more than 10,000 visitors and is the largest cinematic event in Malta. “What makes Malta a unique setting for a film festival is that the Maltese Islands themselves are world famous for film production,” said Oliver Mallia, Co-Founder and Co-Director with Slavko Vukanovic, both film producers in their own right. “Movie buffs can visit locations used for the sets of such headliners as the Game of Thrones, and blockbuster films including Gladiator and Troy.”

Malta offers Valletta Film Festival goers a transformative experience, witnessing where major blockbusters have been filmed while at the same time watching a number of Europe’s newest films. The festival will screen over forty feature films, twenty-four short films, and organizes many different master classes and workshops.

Pjazza San Ġorġ/Photo courtesy of Film Grain Foundation – Ali Tollervey

VFF 2019 will introduce the first Cinema of Small Nations Competition open to feature-length and short films from small countries in Europe and the Middle East. This competition will put a spotlight on the reality of cinema in small nations, and will highlight the abundance of talent and creativity that is often seen in films produced by filmmakers in these countries.

Michelle Buttigieg, Malta Tourism Authority representative in North America, noted “Film Tourism is trending and very popular with American and Canadian tourists who love to travel for film festivals as well as visit the locations of their favorite movies or TV Series. Malta’s movie sets include the iconic Popeye’s Village which is still one the Islands’ most popular tourist attractions, to the hottest HBO show, Game of Thrones, which started in Malta.”

For the VFF 2019 #VFF5 program visit https://www.vallettafilmfestival.com/

To purchase VFF 2019 passes visit https://www.vallettafilmfestival.com/2019-festival-pass-tickets/

About Malta

The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere.  Valletta built by the proud Knights of St. John is one of the UNESCO sites and was the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military architecture from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do.

MTA US Editorial Contact:

The Bradford Group

Karen Hoffman/ Bianca Pappas

Tel: (212) 447-0027

Fax: (212) 725 8253

E-mail: [email protected]

Africa Tourism Leadership Forum: Next stop Durban

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Themed “Stimulating intra-Africa Travel through thought leadership,” the 2019 Africa Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF) is the only Pan-African public-private tourism leadership dialogue platform that is convened, led, and hosted by Africans in Africa. The African Tourism Board is a strategic partner for the event.

The 2019 ATLF and Awards will be hosted by Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau in Durban, under the auspices of the Provincial Government of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa from August 29-30, 2019. It is convened by African Tourism Partners with the support of its key strategic partners including BDO South Africa, NEPAD, Africa Travel Associations (ATA) and Voyages Afriq.

According to Mr. Sihle Zikalala, Provincial Minister for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in the KwaZulu-Natal, gatherings like ATLF allow thought leaders in Africa to bring into the limelight exceptional industry developments and inspiring stakeholders who work hard to build a sustainable African travel and tourism industry.

“As the proud host of ATLF 2019, we look forward to welcoming all stakeholders from across the continent and the rest of the world, not only this innovative event but, also to experience what South Africa and our beautiful Province offer the world. ATLF is an African Project that we must all be part of and support,” says Mr. Zikalala.

The 2018 ATLF and Award edition was held in Accra in Ghana. It was hosted by the Government of Ghana through Ghana Tourism Authority and its parent Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. This was attended by Tourism Ministers as well as over 500 public and private sector executives. These included representatives of UNWTO, NEPAD, Diplomatic Corps, Directors-General, global hotel brands, travel management companies, associations, regional executives of airlines, tour operators, educational institutions, researchers and many other industry professionals.

Kwakye Donkor, Africa Tourism Partners’ (ATP) CEO congratulates KwaZulu-Natal Province for winning the bid to host the 2019 ATLF and Awards. “The Provincial Leadership has truly exemplified true values of thought leadership by aiming to bring together industry leaders in Africa to Durban, to once again advance their commitment to promote intra-Africa travel, dialogue and recognize change-makers in Africa’s tourism development as a collective,” says Donkor.

Among the key focus areas of dialogue during the 2019 ATLF and Awards are:

  • The present and future imperatives of Visa Openness, E-visas and Air Connectivity
  • Outlook on the impact Business and MICE Tourism on national economies
  • What it takes for Africa to harness the multi-level Chinese outbound travel market
  • How to embrace and optimize disruptive technological innovation for intra-Africa travel
  • Delivering critical travel and tourism infrastructure with Development Finance Institutions
  • Spotlight on wildlife and biodiversity conservation as strategic tourism assets in Africa
  • Skills Development and Capacity Building across the sector value chain and more
  • Practicalities of Measuring the Return on Destination Marketing Investment

The Africa Tourism Leadership Awards recognizes the best African travel and tourism industry change-makers and innovators. For strategic partnerships, attendance or more information, please contact Ms. Nozipho Dlamini at: [email protected] and +27 81303 7030.

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The place to visit today is Thailand: Happy Songkran 2019

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If there was a better time to explore the uniqueness of Amazing Thailand, the Thai New Year, known as the Songkran Festival from April 13 to 16 is an event where an all-out water battle and ancient traditions somehow blend in an annual celebration. The country is coming to a business standstill, turning into a national party.

It’s unlike anything else in the world. And it’s wet. Venturing out onto Thailand’s streets on April 13 is an open invitation to have a bucket of water thrown at you or a loaded water super-soaker aimed in your direction. You WILL get wet.

For tourists, the event offers a huge water party breaking out in the streets of Thailand’s towns and villages. For locals, it is a time when they can spend moments with their families and visit temples to  make merit – and then get involved in the water fights as well.

This Songkran 2019 the Tourism Authority of Thailand has organized celebrations in three  tourist destinations – Tak, Mukdahan and Ranong – and is supporting activities in eight other provinces (Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Ayutthaya, Phuket and Songkhla).

 

 

 

 

 

Songkran is the Thai New Year’s national holiday. Songkran is 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April. In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended the festival nationwide to five days, 12–16 April, to enable citizens to travel home for the holiday. In 2019, the holiday will be observed 12–16 April as 13 April falls on a Saturday. The word “Songkran” comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti ,literally “astrological passage”, meaning transformation or change. The term was borrowed from Makar Sankranti, the name of a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in India in January to mark the arrival of spring. It coincides with the rising of Aries on the astrological chart and with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia, in keeping with the Buddhist/Hindu solar calendar.

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Nevis Mango & Food Festival set for July 4-7, 2019

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Now in its fifth year, the Nevis Mango & Food Festival, which will take place July 4-7, 2019, is quickly becoming a serious contender for top spots in Caribbean food festivals and this year is shaping up to be another success.

Nevis mangoes, of which there are 44 varieties, are truly special and prized for their texture and flavor. They inspire culinary creativity among celebrity and local chefs who carefully select their favorites and turn them into everything from soups and salsas, to marinades, sauces, cocktails and fabulous desserts. Locals, however, happily eat them fresh off the trees!

As in previous years the 2019 festival will prominently feature the culinary talents of UK Iron Chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and frequent Food Network chef, Judy Joo. “Chef Joo fell in love with Nevis upon her first visit and we are thrilled and honored that she has embraced the island and the festival each year,” says Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) CEO Greg Phillip. “Not only is Judy inventive and innovative in her approach to cooking with mangoes, but her stewardship of the event has been an encouragement to our local Nevisian chefs who take part in the festival and competitions. We look forward to another spectacular year.”

The four-day mango extravaganza starts with special “Mango Fest” menus at a number of local restaurants and also at many of the resorts. Guests from all over the island are happy to reserve their spots for lunches and dinners that feature this special ingredient. And, the chefs from Nevis resorts and restaurants will be joined this year with other chefs who will all compete in a mango cook-off on Sunday, July 7, at Oualie Beach for the final celebration and festival. With live music and food abounding, this is the day not to be missed.

Mark your calendars now for the 2019 Nevis Mango & Food Festival and visit  nevismangofest.com for more information.

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