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Final figures show slight growth in Nov. arrivals
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Posted on Dec 27 2004
Tourist arrivals actually posted a slight growth last month, based on final statistics issued by the Marianas Visitors Authority.
A total of 43,890 tourists came to the islands in November, an increase of 1.22 percent over the 43,361 visitors registered in the same month in 2003.
Preliminary data released earlier, which included only Saipan arrivals, indicated total arrivals of 42,167 or a decline of 2.75 percent as compared with November last year.
Latest information showed, however, that there were 1,523 visitors who traveled directly to Rota and none to Tinian. All of Tinian’s 8,140 visitors last month arrived on the island via Saipan.
The Japan market, which accounted for 30,454 or 70 percent of the total arrivals, recorded an 8.53-percent decrease from last year.
Korea, which made up 11 percent of the arrivals, generated 4,723 visitors to the Northern Marianas. This is 2.2 percent lower than the number of Korean visitors that came in Nov. 2003.
On the other hand, the China market continued to develop, registering a 46.83 percent growth from the same month last year. A total of 2,687 Chinese visitors came to the CNMI last month.
The rest of the markets, led by Taiwan and Hong Kong, showed improvement in their numbers following the introduction of new nonstop flights by Continental Airlines last month.
From only 73 in November 2003, the CNMI welcomed a total of 329, or 351 percent more, Taiwanese visitors last month.
Hong Kong generated a total of 355 visitors for the CNMI last month, a 110-percent increase from only 169 tourists in the same month last year.
The Philippines, which is now benefiting from more frequent Continental flights to and from Saipan, recorded a 29-percent increase with 478 visitors.
The United States sent 2,055 tourists to the CNMI last month, more than double the 840 U.S. travelers that came in November 2003.
A significant percentage of the U.S. group consisted of crewmembers of two military ships that called on the Port of Saipan last month. USS Blue Ridge, which came for the commemoration of Veterans Day, brought in 1,039 sailors on Nov. 10. The other ship, USS Oklahoma, brought in 161 crewmembers.
