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Nikko belies report of hotel’s sale
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Posted on Jan 02 2006
Hotel Nikko Saipan president Shinji Nakamura denied reports that the hotel has been recently sold to another firm following the pullout of Japan Airlines’ regular flights to Saipan in October 2005.
“We are maintaining this hotel. I do hope it might be better this 2006,” Nakamura said.
The airline company has controlling shares over the hotel.
“All the hotels in the CNMI are doing their best to survive, not only this hotel but also the other hotels,” Nakamura said during Nikko’s New Year’s Eve celebration.
The hotel executive expressed hope that the incoming administration of Gov.-elect Benigno Fitial would effectively address the CNMI’s economic problems, including declining tourism.
In a separate statement, Singapore Airlines also denied reports that it has acquired the hotel from JAL. A Singapore Airlines spokesperson headquartered in Singapore made the confirmation in a recent email to the Saipan Tribune.
When JAL pulled out regular flights to Saipan, persistent rumors have been circulating around the island that Nikko was up for sale.
The significant drop in Japanese arrivals to the CNMI in November following JAL’s pullout of its regular flights to Saipan in October has resulted in an overall decline in the Commonwealth’s tourism industry.
Statistics released by the Marianas Visitors Authority showed that only 21,893 Japanese visited the islands in November 2005—28 percent less than November 2004’s 30,454 visitors.
