A clearer picture is coming out of the pandemic in the CNMI. 

President and chief economist of Hive Analytics Matthew Deleon Guerrero spoke on the difficulties.  

"There was a 24% loss in foodservice employers and this and 34% loss in personal...services," he said. 

While there's hope for the tourism industry to bounce back, the grim reality of the remnants of the ongoing pandemic settles in. Even if tourists come, where will they go? That was one question at the center of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisers' presentation at the NMI legislature Tuesday. "How quickly they can come back from closure into operation is a concern in our ability to fully maximize our recovery," Deleon Guerrero said. 

The council is two years into its 10-year proposal, which ranges from facelifts to recommended legislation. They've been bringing their business sides around the island, making their pitch to local stakeholders. And they're also pointing out the problem.

VP of Corporate Affairs, Tan Holdings Corporation Alex Sablan also gave input. 

"We are also looking at the idea of legitimizing our tour operators in the Commonwealth," he said. "We are looking at the idea of accreditation or some form or fashion of professional licensing...but we are looking at this from a greater perspective. 

They say they've seen "rogue operators" who leave the island with debt and "left the bag hanging." Ultimately, Sablan says, the honest businesses pay the consequences. Another consequence comes from Airbnbs and guest houses in the CNMI. 

"What we did see is a degradation of our tax base by virtue of Airbnbs and guest houses not necessarily paying their fair share," Sablan said. 

He's hopeful that new legislation can level the playing field for the estimated 1,200 Airbnbs and guest-houses they know of in the Commonwealth. 

"And that is the problem child if you will," Sablan said. "They were the people that were,  yes, complimenting the overall marketplace. We needed the numbers to generate the total headcount that came within the Commonwealth in recent years."

Officials continue to keep their eyes on those numbers as federal funding nears its expiration date.