Grandvrio denies impending closure rumors

Grandvrio Resort Saipan general manager Kazuhisa Okawa has categorically denied rumors that the largest hotel in the CNMI—in terms of number of rooms with 429—will be shutting its doors due to tepid tourism numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic.

He did acknowledge though that the Garapan landmark may be forced to shut down, albeit temporarily, if the Commonwealth’s dull tourism industry doesn’t change soon.

“I had also heard rumors that our hotel would close, but that is absolutely not the case. However, it is true that the business is struggling due to the sharp decline in tourists since the pandemic, and if the current situation continues, we cannot deny the possibility of a temporary closure,” Okawa told Saipan Tribune.

Grandvrio Resort Saipan is owned by Route Inn Hotels, which is a hotel chain based in Japan with nearly 400 hotel properties and more than 20,000 employees under its employ.

The 62-year-old Hokkaido native said their mother company has not wavered in its support of its offshore hotel in the CNMI and in fact has promoted it vigorously since after the pandemic.

“Our parent company in Japan is promoting Saipan at 345 chain hotels in Japan, promoting the hotel by participating in tourism expos held in neighboring countries, and providing sales support through sales activities by headquarters staff. In addition, although we have not yet made a large investment in renovations, they are actively responding to the maintenance and renovation of the facilities,” he said.

Okawa acknowledged though that despite these efforts, the occupancy of Grandvrio Resort Saipan still has a lot to be desired, even compared to other hotels in the CNMI, who are also struggling.

“We believe this is due to the traditional sales measures we have implemented, mainly for guests from Japan, and we are taking the measures mentioned above.”

Okawa said staff numbers at Grandvrio Resort Saipan have also been gradually increasing since the pandemic, but remain low compared to peak times.

Since he arrived on island in March 2024, Grandvrio Resort Saipan has made various efforts not only to attract tourist customers but also local customers as well.

“We are announcing the following discount benefits to local customers on SNS (social network service or social media), and we hope they will use the hotel as a place of relaxation.”

Senior citizen discount 20% restaurant discount

Government and military 10% restaurant discount

Local and military accommodation discount $100 + tax

For every six buffet restaurant customers, 1 person eats for free

Restaurant customers pay only $5 for pool usage fee instead of $10

As for issues that need to be addressed with the CNMI tourism industry, Okawa said the Marianas Visitors Authority should work with the local and federal government to not only add more flights to the U.S. territory, but also bring down airfare costs.

“I feel the Marianas Visitors Authority is actively working on promoting the island. However, with the number of tourists not recovering, I think that the government and related agencies need to make quick and flexible decisions and quickly resolve the various regulations and issues that are preventing tourists from being attracted.”

Okawa also said, “The negative legacy of the casino hotel has a major impact on the negative impression of Saipan, and I feel that it is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately.”

Before arriving on Saipan, Okawa worked at Route Inn’s property in Ishigakijima in Okinawa so he has some familiarity with Saipan’s tropical environment.

“I visited Saipan from March 8 to March 13 to take over from my predecessor, and then officially took up my post on March 22. My previous post was in Ishigakijima, Okinawa so the island’s environment and climate are very similar, so it’s easy to get used to it. Other than the language barrier of English, I feel no discomfort, the locals are friendly, and I am enjoying life in a wonderful natural environment.”

Okawa was appointed general manager of Grandvrio Saipan on March 1, 2024. Prior to that, he was a district manager in charge of multiple hotels in Ishigaki Island (three hotels), Aomori Prefecture (seven hotels), and Southern Hokkaido (four hotels).

Kazuhisa Okawa