(HANMI) — The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands reported 28.69% average occupancy rate among 11 member hotels for December 2025, 29% lower than 39.75% in December 2024.
A total of 18,396 of 64,122 available room nights sold during December 2025 compared to 25,133 of 63,233 available rooms sold in December 2024. The average room rate was $112.23, as compared to $126.46 last December.
According to HANMI, hotels typically require around 70-80% hotel occupancy to stay in operation.
Based on airline flights announced so far for FY 2026, air seat capacity to the Marianas is anticipated to drop slightly compared to FY 2025 this year. The destination is reeling from a “perfect storm” of factors: fierce flight competition from the primary source market of Korea, an unfavorable currency exchange rate, an oversupply of air seats to neighboring Guam, a global shortage of new aircraft due to Boeing delivery delays, loss of destination competitiveness, and other factors.
“There are some positives for 2026 that we have managed to gain in recent weeks,” said HANMI Chairman Dennis Seo. “We have twice winter charter flights from Seoul-Icheon through Feb., as well as from Busan through March 6, and so far, each flight is almost full. But these flights are only operating because of a seat hard block guarantee made by Micronesia Resort Inc. and the Marianas Visitors Authority. For organic and long-term stability of the Marianas tourism industry and economy, the Commonwealth is seeking several remedies on the federal front: a portion of the 2025 Strategic Trade & Investment Agreements between the United States and Korea and Japan; a waiver from cabotage for the Saipan-Guam route; some number of direct flights from China — as we had before the pandemic, and essential air service, among others. Without those, it is likely we will see minimal recovery in 2026 and beyond.”
On the local hospitality front, hotels are looking at expanding their offerings of indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian foods or fusion dishes this year toward embrace the new Marianas global brand “Far From Ordinary” and setting the islands apart from competing destinations. To improve the visitor experience through enhanced services, HANMI has also launched a professional development series for its members.
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.
The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands was established in 1985 as a professional forum for the hospitality industry of the Marianas.
