Toot! Toot! That's My Horn Re My Hotel Prediction

On the last day of 2007 I wrote the following in my post "The Golden Age For Hawaii's Serial Protesters"

...When you add these negative impressions and the fact that just about every story I read about tourism is like the recent Pacific Business News article "Hawaii Visitor Spending Flat, Arrivals Down" it makes me wonder about when the "correction" is going to occur to our tourist industry. At some point, lower visitor count is going to really mean lower demand and prices and spending will have to go down. That shoe is going to drop in the first half of 2008 in my opinion. Hotels are holding prices but those vacancy rates are at a tipping point. Someone is going to blink and start dropping room rates. When that happens, the drop will be significant...

The Star Bulletin had this story today:

Hawaii hotels offering summer deals -Promotions design to keep business hot

STORY SUMMARY » The upside of a down visitor market is becoming apparent to Hawaii travelers, as promotions designed to keep business hot in what is normally the peak summer period are on the rise. Astute travelers will find that they can get everything from free food and daily hotel resort credits to discounted rooms and free room nights, typically rare during summer in Hawaii. Hawaii hoteliers also have begun ramping up kamaaina specials, just as they did in the aftermath of 9/11. Making it easier for kamaaina to joining the national "staycation" trend.

For the full story, click here.

Ahem. Cough, cough...Now if I could get people to listen to me about the traffic/crowding solutions and get the Governor out of Turtle Bay Resort, I'll be less cranky.

On the bright side, all the hysterics who say that Waikiki is coming to the North Shore can now go to Waikiki real cheap.