Until now, some Waikiki ocean-front properties performed well.

Hilton Hawaiian Village has been running almost full with convention traffic.

The Moana Surfrider has been sometimes doing dozens of weddings a day. But from now through Christmas, apart from Honolulu Marathon runners, it's gonna be slow.

According to hospitality advisors, Waikiki has been flying three-quarters full on long-planned professional meetings, but almost half the hotel rooms on neighbor islands are now empty, with both Maui County and the Big Island falling below the national occupancy rate for the same period.

All four operating counties have hotel occupancy rates that are down noticeably from the same time last year. The Big Island is down almost six points, Oahu almost eight, Kauai nine, and Maui is down almost 24 percentage points with a predictable effect on room rates.

Maui hotels had been holding the line on room rates while discounting other services. Now the average room rate on Maui is down nearly 18 percent from last year. Big Island hotels are just as empty after 27 percent cuts to room rates.

That's low enough to catch the attention of mainland travelers, at a time when air fares are also lower. If travel agents can induce people to travel at all, Hawaii may find itself in an unaccustomed position of being touted as a budget locale.

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