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Arrivals from Japan down 12 percent
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Posted on Nov 22 2000
In the wake of a travel advisory issued by Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs warning its nationals on the rising criminality in the CNMI, visitor arrivals from Japan dropped 12 percent for the month of October compared to the same period last year.
But the Marinas Visitors Authority reported that arrivals for the month of October totaled 40, 423, a slight decline of 1.27 percent compared to October 1999.
MVA attributed the drop in visitor arrivals from Japan to the low load factor in the direct services and lack of extra flights in October 2000. In October 1999, there were three extra flights from Japan that came to the CNMI.
A huge amount of money for promotion goes to Japan, which remains the biggest source of visitors in the CNMI. The advisory, posted on the website of MOFA, described the Northern Marianas, particularly Saipan, as an “unsafe destination,” due to growing crime incidents.
Taiwan, which is seen as an alternative source of visitors for the CNMI, has consistently shown growth as arrivals jumped 569 percent mainly due to Mandarin Airlines’ direct services.
Korea continues to maintain its position as the second largest market to the CNMI visitor population. Arrivals for the month of October registered a 42 percent growth primarily due to the honeymoon season celebrated during this month.
Arrivals from the U.S. also posted a double-digit growth of 30 percent which may be attributed to the arrivals of military ship and the Sky Princess. These vessels brought in approximately 1,437 visitors.
Tourism officials are expecting arrivals from Japan to improve next year with the recent announcement by Continental Micronesia to resume Nagoya-Saipan daily flights beginning April 1, 2001.
Likewise, Continental will bring back its nonstop service between Saipan and Osaka starting Feb. 1, 2001 to March 31, 2001 to accommodate the expected influx of Japanese tourists during the period.
The Northern Marianas has been fiercely competing with neighboring island Guam in enticing more Japanese visitors.
