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HANMI occupancy up 7 pct in July 2016
Highest average occupancy rate recorded
Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands chair Gloria Cavanagh, third from left, presents a $5,000 check to CARE treasurer John Hirsh and other CARE leadership and volunteers on Aug. 6, 2016, during SOU’ Fest in Saipan, marking the one-year anniversary of Typhoon Soudelor. (Contributed Photo)
The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands reported 91.84 percent occupancy among 11 member hotels for July 2016, a 7-percent increase compared to July 2015.
“Over 91 percent occupancy is the highest ever July rate since HANMI began tracking rates in 1992, This is phenomenal,” said HANMI chair Gloria Cavanagh. “At the same time, $144.20 average room rate is the second highest July room rate, topped only by July 1997 before the Asian economic crisis. Tourism is back, and we’d like to see the government give our member hotels with expiring public land leases the opportunity to stay in business by offering the opportunity to negotiate new or extended leases. As the data shows, it works for the CNMI.”
HANMI said 65,908 of 71,765 available room nights sold in July 2016, compared to 60,353 of 70,839 available room nights sold over the same period last year. Room rates were $144.20 during the month, compared to $134.25 last July.
HANMI was established in 1985 as a professional forum for the hospitality industry of the NMI. HANMI also makes regular charitable donations to support non-profit organizations and tourism-related government projects. On Saturday, Aug. 6, HANMI donated $5,000 from its June 2016 charity golf tournament to CARE to add with recovery efforts following Typhoon Soudelor.
“As a follow-up to our $21,000 donation to Karidat last year to purchase food for typhoon victims, we were pleased to appropriate another donation this year to CARE through Karidat toward the continued need,” said Cavanagh. “There are still hundreds of families without safe, sanitary, and comfortable homes in Saipan, and we support CARE and all their wonderful volunteers in their work to aid those families.”
Membership in HANMI is open to all qualified hotels, motels, guesthouses, and other lodging entities for tourists, as well as affiliated businesses. For more information or to request a membership application, visit www.saipanhotels.org. (PR)
