Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands President Gloria Cavanagh makes a PowerPoint presentation on hotel occupancy during the Saipan Chamber of Commerce meeting on Wednesday. Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
In a presentation at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce meeting on Wednesday, she discussed the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the CNMI’s hotel industry and the measures that hotel operators are taking to stay afloat.
HANMI, she said, is conducting a survey and asking hotel operators direct-to-the-point questions such as: “Are you cutting down on services? Are you cutting down on hours or laying off people? Are you closing?”
Speaking as general manager of the Pacific Islands Club, Cavanagh said the hotel has reduced its operations. The Seaside Grill, for example, is open two days a week only while the beach barbecue bar is open three days a week.
The Galley, she added, is open for lunch only, and the only PIC restaurant that is fully operational is the Magellan.
Fiesta Resort & Spa, for its part, has issued a memorandum regarding its revised operating hours. Effective on Monday, World Café is open only on Friday and Saturday, with the regular steak and seafood buffet for dinner from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. only. From Sunday to Thursday, World Café will be closed. The Joyful Dinner Show will be closed on Monday and Thursday; the Terrace will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. only; the Chambre Bar will be open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and will be closed on Monday, Saturday and Sunday; the north pool will be closed until further notice; the south pool will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and the kids’ pool will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Canavagh said HANMI members currently have less than 30 percent occupancy. Based on the survey result so far, she said, “We are looking at around 23%, and that is for all the hotels.” Not included are the bed and breakfast establishments, and the small hotels.
She said these days, “nobody wants to fly, nobody wants to travel.”
