March arrivals post flat growth

Visitor arrivals for the month of March reached 44,355 representing a flat growth compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the Marianas Visitors Authority.

As Japan’s arrival record failed to show any improvement during this period, tourism officials see a little hope on the continuous increase in visitor arrivals from Korea which jumped 36 percent.

The failure of the Japanese market to show any improvement was attributed to the one percent decline in direct flights from Japan as a result of the termination of the airline’s direct service from Osaka and Nagoya.

On March 1999, these flights brought in 3,305 passengers which accounted for 11 percent of the total arrivals from Japan. This termination resulted in a loss of 1,935 airline seats from Japan on a weekly basis, according to MVA Managing Director Perry Tenorio.

In addition, ship arrivals from Japan also contributed to poor showing of the Japanese market as ship arrivals reported a 12 percent decrease compared to the same time last year.

The termination of Continental’s direct service was compensated by the nine charter flights of Japan Airlines, which brought in approximately 1,753 passengers. Another positive development in the Japanese market is the use of bigger aircraft from a DC10 to a B747 by Northwest Airlines.

Although the number of visitor arrivals has not reached pre-Asian crisis levels, Korea showed continues signs that it is on its way to recovery with a double-digit growth.

MVA anticipates that the number of Korean visitors will increase further following the resumption of Asiana Airlines direct flights from Pusan, which commenced on March 26, 2000. The move upped airline seats by 25 percent to 2,183.

U.S. arrivals reported the biggest loss in visitor arrivals with a 32 percent drop or some 2,356 tourists. In March 1999, a military ship visited the CNMI, which brought in 200 persons.

The recent signing of a charter agreement between Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino and Mandarin Airlines is expected to boost visitor arrivals as it will open the door for the development of an alternative market to the declining tourism economy.

Mandarin Air will begin its Taipei-Saipan flight twice a week on May 1, 2000 using a158-seater B737-800.