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Arrivals may post moderate increase
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Posted on Mar 01 1999
Despite the plunge in tourism economy, the Marianas Visitors Authority estimate visitor arrivals to reach 497,000 this year excluding the hundreds of US servicemen on board the Navy vessels who come here for a three-day rest and recreation.
The estimate was based on the study conducted by board chairman Dave M. Sablan who estimated visitor arrivals to reach 353,937 with a conservative projected monthly increase ranging from 1.1 to 1.05 percent.
In analyzing the arrivals record, Sablan took into consideration the load factor and monthly arrivals record of various airlines. Sablan also did not include the projected charter flights of Korean Airlines, Far Easter Airlines, arrivals of Japanese coming from Guam and the Northwest Airlines’ plan to upgrade its carrier from a DC 10 to a B747 type of aircraft starting July.
Although record showed arrivals have been increasing every month, the MVA board wants to analyze further the data taking into consideration all the plans of the different carriers.
Due to increasing demand for additional seats from Korea to Saipan, Asiana Airlines will make available one plane for the CNMI for its daily Seoul-Saipan flight. Currently, Asiana’s daily flight using a B767 for Saipan is shared with Guam.
Korean Air has made a commitment to begin its Saipan-Seoul charter flight on July 1. Although the CNMI has not gotten any firm commitment from Far Eastern Air Transport of Taiwan, it will conduct its test flight in May.
The Aviation Task Force has planned to tap Hawaiian Airlines to provide service in the Northern Marianas but such a plan would depend on whether or not the Commonwealth Ports Authority would grant a 50 percent reduction in airport fees and charges as an incentive to new carriers.
According to JM Guerrero, head of the task force, he is also waiting for the ports authority’s decision on his request for a 50 percent cut in airport fees and charges for a period of one year for new carriers that will provide direct flight to service the Northern Marianas from a market that has not been served to offset the airline’s initial operational costs.
