Previous Story
High hopes to revive the Japan market
The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Marianas Visitors Authority are pinning their hopes of reviving the slumping Japanese tourism market on Skymark Airlines Inc.
HANMI chair and MVA board member Gloria Cavanagh said the co-promotional agreement signed between the CNMI government and the airline last week would re-open direct flights between Japan and Saipan.
“When it comes to Japan, Skymark is going to be right now our flight direct from Japan. It just makes sense,” said Cavanagh after MVA board’s meeting last Wednesday.
She said Japan is the CNMI’s first and only market for many years and that the hotel association has always supported the Japan market. Cavanagh said they were always the priority.
“We’re very happy and we’re looking forward to this relationship with Skymark and to welcome back the Japan market. It is very important,” she added.
The CNMI needs to diversify its tourism markets, in order to have a healthy economy, Cavanagh said.
“We see, for instance, the Korean market that was not doing so well after the storm. To pick up Japan again is a very good risk,” she added.
MVA managing director Christopher Concepcion said they are excited about the partnership between MVA, the governor’s office, and Skymark.
Concepcion said Skymark is going to start with charters this spring or March.
A Skymark team will attend MVA’s general membership meeting today, Friday, at Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan to give a background of the airline company, so that people in the CNMI will be familiar with who they are.
Skymark officials are here this week to meet personnel at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport, Commonwealth Ports Authority, as well as with a catering company and ground handling company, so they could begin operations in the CNMI.
“We’re excited about it. It’s going to be the revival of the Japan market,” Concepcion said.
MVA board member Chris Nelson said they are excited that the team from Skymark, whom they met in Japan, are here on the island.
Nelson said Skymark is expected to talk about their upcoming flight from Japan at the MVA membership meeting.
“We don’t know the details but we are expecting to hear positive news from them [today],” he said.
