And as sometimes happens, but not always, its score was the best of any tourist destination, island or not: 90.7.

Occasionally, the Maldives outscores Maui, but not in 2010. Maldives scored 86.4, good for third behind Kauai (88.8) among all islands.

Lanai scored 80.8, sixth among Best Pacific Islands.

Maui has finished first 16 times out of 20 in the magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Island in the World and has never finished lower than first among Pacific islands in the 20 years the readers have ranked islands. (The awards are in their 23rd year.)

“After a successful summer season, this is simply more wonderful news for Maui,” said Terryl Vencl, executive director of the Maui Visitors Bureau. “We are blessed with stunning natural beauty, world-class service, top-notch activities, excellent restaurants and myriad accommodation options.”

Mayor Charmaine Tavares said: “Our cherished host culture and the gracious aloha of our residents continue to make such awards possible.”

Besides Maui, Kauai and Lanai, the Big Island (83.5) and Oahu (83.3) finished in the Pacific top 10.

Other well-regarded islands were Bermuda (83.7), Kiawah, S.C., (83.0), and Mykonos and the Cyclades (78.0).

“Best City” category winners all scored well under Maui’s total: Sydney (86.1), San Francisco (84.3), Florence (84.6), Bangkok (82.9), Capetown (83.7) and Vancouver (82.4).

Maui hotels also swept the “Top Hawaii Resorts” list.

The Four Seasons at Wailea was first, and Hotel Hana-Maui and Honua Spa was second.

Four Seasons Hualalai was third, followed by Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay; and Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele.

Maui properties ranked in the Top 20 were Fairmont Kea Lani, ninth; the Grand Wailea, 11th; Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, 15th; and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa and Westin Maui Resort & Spa, tied for 20th along with Kauai Marriott and Beach Club.

More than 25,000 readers participated this year, and complete results will be published in the November 2010 issue, which arrives on newsstands later this month.

* Harry Eagar can be reached at heagar@mauinews.com

Maui’s occupancy rate was 73.4 percent, not impressive for a normal August but much better than the 63.5 percent in August 2009, which was the depth of the downturn that began more than two years ago.

Operators kept prices stable at about $238 a night. The gain in business drove revenue per available room (RevPAR) up by $25 a night to $175.

Every county gained in occupancy and in RevPAR, but none nearly as much as Maui.

Oahu’s occupancy rate rose from 77.5 percent to 83.7 percent. Rack rates rose $5 to $154, and RevPAR rose almost $13 to $129.

Hawaii County operators cut prices a little – by $3 to $192 – which they have mostly resisted doing during this downturn. Occupancy improved slightly, from 56.3 percent last year to 60.6 percent this August. RevPAR rose $6 to $116.

Kauai operators, who also have generally resisted discounting, raised rates slightly, from $190 to $193, and saw their occupancy rate rise slightly, from 61.6 percent to 62.4 percent. RevPAR rose $3 to $120.

That gave a statewide August occupancy rate of 75.7 percent and a RevPAR of $137, an improvement of almost $14.

On Maui, gains were substantial in every price category but especially so in the midprice and economy categories. Economy rooms, charging $115 a night, zoomed from 47.4 percent occupancy to 66.1 percent.

Economy is relative in the survey conducted by Smith Travel Research for Hospitality Advisors. On Oahu, an economy hotel charges an average of $73 a night and $115 will almost get you an “upscale” room – those were going for $130 in August.

Economy rooms jumped in occupancy on Oahu, but not nearly as much as on Maui, from 73 percent to 81.8 percent. But there are many more economy rooms on Oahu, so relatively big percentage increases on Maui do not translate into very many room-nights sold.

Oahu has a category even cheaper than economy, budget, whose rooms went for an average $67 in August. Smith Travel does not consider that Maui has enough budget rooms to report.

“Waikiki in particular has had several sold-out periods during the summer,” said Joseph Toy, president of Hospitality Advisers. That is “something we haven’t seen in a long while.”

He added, “A lot of capacity remains in the market that will need to be absorbed before we can start to see real growth in room revenue. Still, the market is headed in the right direction.”

* Harry Eagar can be reached at heagar@mauinews.com.

Article from: October 11, 2010 Maui News

BofA halts foreclosures in all 50 U.S. States