Hyatt owner is upbeat about new NW flights

The Japanese company that owns Hyatt Regency Saipan is upbeat about Northwest Airlines’ plan to launch a second daily service from Tokyo to Saipan in July.

Hitoshi Nakauchi, president of Kobe Portopia Hotel, expressed hope the new flight will offer much needed boost to the Northern Marianas’ visitor industry, which has been struggling with lack of airlift capacity from its largest market, Japan.

“This is not the best time for tourism on Saipan,” Nakauchi told Nick K. Nishikawa, the incoming general manager of Hyatt Regency Saipan, “but you’re lucky. In July, there will be two daily flights coming from Tokyo.”

The new night flight is projected to bring in approximately 60,000 seats a year—about 30 percent of total Japan arrivals last year.

Nishikawa, who is swapping posts with outgoing GM Michael von Siebenthal, indicated his readiness for the challenge. He sought the help of the hotel staff and the community in improving the hotel, as well as in promoting Saipan as tourist destination.

“We need your continuous support,” said Nishikawa.

A party was held at the Hyatt gardens on Friday evening to pay tribute to von Siebenthal and to welcome Nishikawa. (See more photos in tomorrow’s issue of the Saipan Tribune.)

Von Siebenthal recalled that the local tourism industry was also going through tough times when he came to head the Hyatt Regency Saipan nearly seven years ago. At that time, the 9/11 attacks had just occurred, followed by the SARS scare.

But the hotel survived, even managing to expand with the opening of a new spa and the construction of a new $6.5-million staff housing.

Von Siebenthal is now heading to Fukuoka, Japan to manage the Grand Hyatt Hotel there. He will take over from Nishikawa, who has been with the hotel for 12 years.

“Leaving is always tough,” von Siebenthal told the crowd of government officials, business leaders, tourism industry players, and dignitaries that attended the party.

“The longer you stay and the smaller the place is, the stronger the bonds you create. To some people, this gathering may look like an opportunity to meet business contacts. But when I look out here, all I see is friends,” he added.

Von Siebenthal, who had been actively involved in the community during his stay on Saipan, was presented plaques and certificates of recognition by the Marianas Visitors Authority, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the 16th House of Representatives, and the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands.