Hospitality and Tourism
Hospitality and Tourism Industry
Tourism has become an important source of income for many regions and even entire countries. It is described as an activity essential to the life of nations because of its direct effects on the social, cultural, educational, and economic sectors of national societies and on their international relations. The hospitality industry benefits from tourism and is a broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, traveling and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is an industry that depends on the availability of leisure time and disposable income. A hospitality unit such as a restaurant, hotel, or an amusement park consist of multiple groups such as facility maintenance and direct operations (servers, housekeepers, porters, kitchen workers, bartenders, management, marketing, and human resources etc.)
Tourism is again booming in the CNMI with almost all of the tourists now coming from China (thanks to a visa waiver program) and from Korea. A small number of tourists still arrive from Japan and Russia. Most of the CNMI’s Hospitality and Tourism Industry is located on Saipan. E-Land Group, the large Korean retailor, has three premier properties, Coral Ocean Point Resort and Gold Course, The Pacific Islands Club, and the Kensington. The Hyatt Regency remains a top property in the heart of the Garapan tourist district. Other large hotels include the Fiesta, the Kanoa Resort Saipan, the Hafa Adai, and the World Resort. Under construction is the mammoth Imperial Palace Saipan, that will be the home of Saipan’s only casino. A vast, dynamic and growing industry, the Hospitality and Tourism Industry operates in a highly competitive environment in the CNMI.
The tourism industry is a one of the world’s great industries. Large industries mean that there is large cash flows and large amounts of cash often mean multiple law suits and other legal problems. The ignorance of the law can be very costly. This industry seems to become more complicated by the day, with both customers and clientele being aware of their legal rights and demanding satisfaction from either the tourism entity or from the courts. Any tourism and travel business today that desires to stay in business would be wise to consult with both legal counsel, with a risk management specialist, and with a tourism safety and security expert. Because both travel and tourism are dynamic businesses and the law is constantly changing, it is a good idea to hold annual reviews with these experts. Hospitality and Tourism laws include those related to food service, travel, and lodging. They govern the various nuances of the hotel, restaurant, bar, spa, and rental car activities, among others. Attorneys who work with the Hospitality and Tourism Industry commonly deal with contracts, torts, real estate, insurance, and government regulation issues.
