Hawaii Set to Hike Hotel Tax

Key Points

• Hawaii lawmakers are poised to increase the hotel tax by 0.75%, raising the total tax on short-term accommodations to nearly 19%, with new revenue earmarked for climate-related programs.
• The article highlights mixed hotel performance data in Canada and the U.S., as well as multiple new hotel openings, management changes, and development projects across North America.
• Significant overseas activity includes Sonesta extending a franchise agreement in Latin America, and major acquisitions and expansions in the European hospitality market.

Summary

Hawaii is set to raise its hotel tax, pushing the total tax rate on short-term accommodations to nearly 19% in order to fund climate change initiatives, a move expected to generate an additional $100 million annually. The article also covers recent hotel industry performance data from Canada and the U.S., reports various new hotel openings and management shifts across North America, and highlights significant international developments such as Sonesta’s continued growth in Latin America and prominent hotel acquisitions and expansions in Europe.