THE Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands reported 43.0% average occupancy rate among 11 member hotels for September 2024, nearly even with 43.29% average occupancy among 11 hotels in September 2023.
A total of 27,065 of 62,915 available room nights sold during September 2024 compared to 27,146 of 62,710 available rooms sold in September 2023. The average room rate was $130.88 compared to $144.24 last September.
According to HANMI, hotels typically require around 70-80% hotel occupancy to stay in operation.
“In terms of number of hotel guests in September, HANMI hotels on average saw no growth this year. On top of that, our room rates are actually lower than last year, meaning less revenue overall for both our investors and the government,” said HANMI Chairman Dennis Seo. “While total visitor arrivals to the Marianas did increase by about 22% overall last fiscal year, the last few months were lower year-on-year. Due to the continued challenges of currency exchange, we desperately need a strong third source market to turn this economy around.”
Seo acknowledged the partnership of the public and private sectors but said that without a significant increase in visitors, the economy will remain depressed.
“We thank the Legislature and Governor Palacios for prioritizing the work of the Marianas Visitors Authority in this year’s fiscal budget act,” said Seo. “And we thank our airline partners, the Governor, Commonwealth Ports Authority, and Marianas Visitors Authority for responding favorably to efforts to maintain stable air service from our top market of Korea during this low-travel season. However, without direct flights from mainland China, our economy will continue to flounder. We continue to seek the administration’s endorsement of this request to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Austerity Mondays and the brain-drain out of the islands are real, and business closures continue.”
Hotels included in HANMI’s monthly statistical report are Aqua Resort Club, Aquarius Beach Tower, Century Hotel, Coral Ocean Resort, Grandvrio Resort Saipan, Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, Kensington Hotel Saipan, LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort, Pacific Islands Club Saipan, Saipan World Resort, and Surfrider Resort Hotel.
About HANMI
The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands was established in 1985 as a professional forum for the hospitality industry of the Marianas. HANMI also makes regular charitable donations to support non-profit organizations and tourism-related government projects. HANMI membership is open to all qualified hotels and other loading properties for tourists and affiliated business. Membership applications are available at www.saipanhotels.org/.
