Hotel occupancy on the Big Island sunk to 49.9 percent in September '08, a lower rate than the months following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when the rate hovered around 51 percent. (Hotel occupancy in September, 2007 was 59.4 percent, according to Hospitality Advisors.) Hotel occupancy on the Kohala Coast was 47.2 percent in September '08, compared to 53.4 percent in September, 2007. Statewide, the September '08 occupancy rate was 63.2 percent, compared to 74.2 percent in September of 2007. Also, rooms that are being sold are going for cheaper rates than they were one year ago.