Tinian Dynasty eyes higher occupancy in 2001

After concluding the past year with a slightly higher occupancy rate, Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino is now crafting concrete plans to draw more foreign and local visitors into the once drowsy island in 2001.

Hotel Manager Tom Liu disclosed Tinian Dynasty is hoping to reach a conservative annual average of 50-percent occupancy rate for this year, higher by 12 percent from last year’s finish of 38 percent.

He stressed the 50 percent anticipated occupancy rate for the year is the most realistic projection Tinian Dynast could come up with due to several factors that affect the entry of tourists into the Northern Marianas.

“We have been in the business for almost four years now, the word is already out about Tinian as a destination and the Dynasty as a world-class hotel-casino facility so we are confident we will be able to achieve our target, or even surpass it,” said Mr. Liu.

The multi-million dollar hotel-casino facility opened its doors to foreign and local visitors in early 1998. It is the first casino in the Northern Marianas which was hoped to fortify Tinian’s economy.

“We performed a little bit better in 2000 than the previous year. The figures are still below our original projections but it’s a good sign because we are witnessing a good progress every year,” Mr. Liu told a telephone interview.

Last year’s 38 percent occupancy rate improved by eight percent from the total number of Tinian Dynasty hotel rooms occupied in 1999. “The improvement may not be good enough but we are at least seeing brighter indications,” he added.

Mr. Liu attributed the low occupancy rate to the limited number of airline seats earmarked by international carriers from major Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan to the Northern Marianas.

“Whatever we do, like intensified promotions and all that, there’s only so much flights coming in and that contributes big time to the industry,” the hotel executive pointed out.

However, Mr. Liu said Tinian Dynasty is now a little above than just breaking even due to entry of visitors from Taiwan following the deployment by Mandarin Airlines of two flights per week between Saipan and Taipei.

“Business is doing okay and we’re still trying to survive. Of course the number is slightly better than before but we’re still in the surviving stage,” he told an interview.

The hotel executive also described the new Tinian airport runway as the road that is being paved to open up the economic development of Tinian and all the other islands in the Northern Marianas as well.

Tinian Dynasty started experiencing a respite from its losses earlier in 1999 amid the reported $18 million net loss the company incurred during its first 10 months in operation.

The Tinian Dynasty management is expecting a better year for the resort, citing an increase in the number of tourists who now visit the hotel-casino facility since the beginning of last year.