NMI visitor arrivals up 4 pct in calendar year 2015

Visitors arrivals to the Northern Mariana Islands rose 4 percent in calendar year 2015 compared to the previous year, although December 2015 visitor arrivals to the NMI dipped 8 percent compared to December 2014.

According to the Marianas Visitors Authority, arrivals to the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota registered 41,128 visitors in December 2015, compared to 44,910 visitors received in December 2014.

Arrivals from China continued their steady growth, rising 11 percent compared to December 2014 to reach 14,309 visitors. With new flights from China being launched by Dynamic Airways at the beginning of January, as well as a new flight from Hangzhou to Saipan operated by Century Tours, continued rapid growth from the China market is projected for the coming year as the MVA’s promotions penetrate deeper into secondary markets of China which until now have been largely untapped.

Arrivals from Korea dipped 9 percent in December to 17,721 visitors but maintained Korea’s position as the NMI’s No. 1 source of visitors. This did, however, mark the first decrease in arrivals from the Korean market since December 2014, other than the month of Super Typhoon Soudelor in August 2015. The decrease is attributed to the fact that Asiana Airlines suspended its morning flight in June 2015 and also cut its charter flight in February 2015; both flights were operating in December 2014.

Arrivals from Japan fell 36 percent to 6,374 visitors as the NMI continued to feel the effect of Delta Air Lines cutting its Narita to Saipan night flight in October, a move that dropped airlift from the Japan market to just one daily flight. The total air seat supply from Japan was just 6,799 seats in December, including six Asiana charter flights from Narita and another charter from Kansai/Osaka. With 6,231 visitors, this means that almost every available seat from Japan was full throughout the month of December, making it very difficult for Japan travel agents to boost sales to the NMI without the necessary flights available. The MVA is now launching a major incentive campaign with Delta Air Lines and all top Japan travel agents to sustain these extremely high load factors on the Narita flight into Japan’s low season and secure the re-instatement of the Narita night flight this year.

Source markets economic highlights
Japan`s economic growth for the third quarter of 2015 has been revised from an annualized fall of 0.8 percent to an annualized rise of 1 percent, erasing the technical “recession” declared in November. The revision changes the whole picture of the Japanese economy, erasing any possibility of a downward spiral. As of Dec. 10, 2015, the yen slightly grew in value against both the US dollar (121.50 yen).

The Korean government announced the economy would grow 3.1 percent this year, largely buoyed by an increase in domestic consumption. The South Korean won/dollar exchange rate rose 17.93 won over the past month to close at 1,174.67 won.

The International Monetary Fund predicts further slowing in growth in China will result in a reduced GDP of 6.3 percent in 2016. The IMF anticipates the final full-year figure for 2015 to show a growth rate of 6.8%. China’s economy grew by 7.3 percent in 2014. China Tourism Academy reported the growth rate for the country’s outbound travel volume is expected to reach 16 percent this year, making China the world’s largest outbound travel market for the third year running. The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened by 24 basis points to 6.4755 against the U.S. dollar, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trading System. (MVA)