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Hotel occupancy sustains growth
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Posted on Aug 05 2004
Hotel occupancy rate last month increased to an average 70.87 percent—the sixth consecutive month that the industry displayed positive performance. This is a marked improvement compared with July 2003, when tourism was just beginning to recover from the travel scare triggered by SARS and the Iraq war.
The month’s occupancy rate surpassed pre-9/11 figures from 1998 to 2001. Last month’s average room rate of $79.86, though, is much lower compared to those of these periods.
This developed as the CNMI tourism industry continues to show signs of recovery in the past several months.
Statistics released by the Hotel Association of the Northern Marianas showed that last month’s occupancy significantly went up from July 2003’s 59.53 percent. The figure also surpassed the July 2002 figure of 67.87 percent.
Pre-9/11 hotel occupancy levels for the same month only registered at 51.89 percent in 1998, 59.65 percent in 1999, 62.08 in 2000, and 57.40 percent in 2001.
HANMI statistics showed that the average room rate for the month slightly increased from July 2003’s $79.25, but lower than pre- and post-9/11 levels until 2002.
Average room rate for the month of July was at its peak in 1997 when it reached $145.17.The rate went down the three-digit mark for the first time in 2000, when HANMI recorded an average $90.56. The figure went up to $92.24 in 2001 before dropping to $80.85 in 2002.
HANMI chair Ronald D. Sablan said last month that, although hotel occupancy on the islands continue to improve, it does not necessarily indicate that industry players are raking in huge profits. He said hotels are forced to lower their room rates to attract guests.
HANMI statistics represents over 2,500 rooms in 14 Saipan hotels—Hotel Regency Saipan, Hotel Nikko Saipan, Dai-Ichi Hotel, Pacific Islands Club, World Resort Saipan, Saipan Grand Hotel, Marianas Resort Hotel, Aqua Resort Club, Aquarius Beach Tower, Coral Ocean Point, Century Hotel, Chalan Kanoa Beach Club, Saipan Ocean View Hotel, and Pacific Gardenia Hotel.
