Hopes to revive Dynasty’s Guangzhou charters dim

Hopes to revive some flights from the China market are dim at this time, according to a ranking official of the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino.

Tom Liu, Tinian Dynasty’s hotel manager, told Saipan Tribune there is no plan at the moment to bring back the Guangzhou flights, which it terminated last year.

“Chairman [Michael Kwan] has not advised us of any plans to revive the Guangzhou flights at this time,” he told Tribune.

Marianas Visitors Authority data show that the Guangzhou flights were terminated on Aug. 30 last year. It had 198 seats and flew to Tinian twice weekly with a load factor of 75-80 percent.

Liu said Dynasty is currently receiving two flights weekly from Shanghai, operated by Shanghai Airlines.

Each flight, he said, brings in 222 seats, shared equally by Century Tours and Tinian Dynasty Travel.

With the promised Guam military buildup and the delay in the enforcement of federalization in the CNMI, extending by 180 days the transition period before the exclusion of the China and Russia markets from the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program, there have been speculations that Dynasty might take advantage of the window to revive the flights.

Liu, however, shot down the idea, saying no new flights are expected to go to Tinian at this time.

“We have not heard of any plans to increase services,” Liu said.

In an interview with MVA managing director Perry Tenorio, he said the agency would convince the Dynasty to bring back the market to help the ailing tourism on the island.

MVA’s early estimate of $108 million economic loss in six months due to the exclusion of the China and Russian markets is expected to be averted because of the delay in federalization.

Due to budget constraints and federalization issues, the agency has reduced the promotional budget for two markets, which it intends to restore now that new budget for the agency provided an increase for the purpose.

Tenorio earlier disclosed that some 40,000 tourists from China and Russia are expected this year—31,000 from China and 9,000 from Russia.

Records from the MVA showed that NMI welcomed about 27,000 Chinese visitors and about 7,000 Russian visitors in calendar year 2008.

“Between now and November, MVA will continue promote and use this opportunity to increase visitors from these two source markets,” Tenorio said, adding that MVA’s Marianas Tourism Task Force will work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to seek “assistance” to continue travel from these markets.

It was earlier disclosed that it may take DHS 12 to 18 months before it can establish the necessary security protocols for China and Russia markets.

In last fiscal year, MVA recorded 202,041 arrivals from Japan; Korea, 116,710; China, 31,095; and Russia, 6,178.