Although an increase in sales is traditionally observed during Christmas holidays, Saipan\u2019s leading shopping center reports a 15-percent decline in sales this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur sales is good but it\u2019s still lower compared to the past year,\u201d said Clarence Tenorio Jr., vice president of Joeten Enterprises.<\/p>\n
Joeten Shopping Center has branches in Hafa Dai Garapan, Susupe, Chalan Kanoa, and Dandan.<\/p>\n
Tenorio said the drop in sales was most noticeable following the departure of Japan Airlines last October.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started to see the decline after JAL. Fewer tourists mean fewer customers. I\u2019d say it\u2019s about 15 percent drop now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said that Joeten stores are fortunate to be selling basic items such as food products.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s easier to sell food than other non-basic items that people can live without,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
ABC store Paseo de Marianas manager Edward Duenas said the trend in sales has been impacted by the JAL pullout.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d say everything has something to do with JAL,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite this setback, he said, \u201cWe are doing fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tenorio said that, unless the CNMI gets another airline or unless JAL comes back, the tourism industry would continue to suffer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a consumer-driven economy. Fewer customers, fewer sales,\u201d he reiterated.<\/p>\n
He said, though, that he still has positive thoughts about 2006 especially with the entry of a new administration.<\/p>\n
On the operational level, he said that Joeten Enterprises would just have to maintain lean inventories and control expenses \u201cto be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saipan Chamber of Commerce outgoing president Alex Sablan earlier said that business sales are estimated to be down by 28 percent beginning October 2005 due to JAL\u2019s departure.<\/p>\n
JAL, which used to fly directly from Osaka and Tokyo daily, brought about 150,000 passengers a year to the CNMI.<\/p>\n
The Osaka daily flight has been replaced since last month by Northwest Airline.<\/p>\n
The Tokyo route, however, could not be taken by any other airline since JAL has refused to let go of its slot at the Narita International Airport.<\/p>\n
In 2004, the CNMI received 382,000 tourists from Japan, most of them originating from the Narita airport.<\/p>\n
In fiscal year 2005 ending last September, Japanese tourists in the CNMI totaled 376,263. Overall, the CNMI received 529,557 tourists in FY 2005.<\/p>\n
Sablan had said that local businesses have raised their costs from 10 to 15 percent across the board to combat the increase in costs of doing business in the CNMI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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