Recent headlines about low hotel occupancy need some historical context.

I well remember the pictures of the hotel managers smiling with the city Department of Planning and Permitting folks, and months later, with the new mayor as they crushed the private vacation rental industry under the guise of protecting our residential neighborhoods and making housing more affordable.

Then they took that as a basis to dramatically raise hotel room rates because the competition was gone. Therefore, low occupancy because there are better choices elsewhere.

Too bad the City and County sided with big money to send vacation money out of state rather than here with locals.

Dan Carpenter

Waianae

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