‘Travel bubble’ remains pending

The cautious resumption of tourism in the CNMI through a planned “travel bubble” arrangement with South Korea is reportedly still “pending,” with no immediate word on when the flights will actually take place.

According to a source who has reliable knowledge of the matter, the “travel bubble,” which is a collaborative effort between E-Land Group of Companies (which owns the Kensington Hotel Saipan, Pacific Islands Club, and Coral Ocean Point), the Marianas Visitor’s Authority, and the CNMI administration, remains “pending.”

Saipan Tribune learned that the travel bubble program has yet to be advertised in South Korea, which means no participants have been confirmed for the program yet and there still is no set date for when the travel bubble will commence in the CNMI.

Saipan Tribune tried to obtain comments from MVA managing director Priscilla Iakopo and MVA board chair Gloria Cavanagh yesterday but both have yet to respond as of press time.

A travel bubble is an exclusive arrangement between two jurisdictions that will allow that relatively easier exchange of travelers between the two.

In a statement from Commonwealth Ports Authority board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds, she said that CPA is ready to welcome tourists back. “CPA is as ready as we can be to welcome the slow reopening of the travel industry. I know that people are leery about the plans and understandably so given the serious health risks. There has a been a great deal of planning and work put in by the Governor’s Office, the COVID-19 Task Force, the Economic Task Force and industry partners to create a travel bubble that would allow for the resumption of tourism activity, balancing the need to revitalize the economy and keeping our community safe,” she said.

King-Hinds said that the travel bubble plan, as described to CPA, does not deviate from existing safeguards that are already in place and in practice with regards to testing requirements, which include a pre-departure test from place of original embarkation and mandatory testing on the fifth day after arrival.

Back in December, the MVA board unanimously approved E-Land Group of Companies’ proposed plan to carry out the travel bubble in the CNMI with the first batch of tourists was expected to arrive on Jan. 8 via a charter flight.

The health protocols for travel bubble passengers were revised to add another layer, so all arrivals would be subjected to three layers of screening: As soon as they arrive, passengers with the travel bubble must show proof of a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to arriving on Saipan. The passengers will then take another test upon arrival and one more test five days after.

Once they arrive, the passengers will be immediately brought to Pacific Islands Club Saipan where they will be quarantined for five days. There, they will be able to use the facilities. They will then be transported to Kensington after the fifth day testing comes out negative for everyone aboard the flight.

The CNMI closed its borders to international tourists back in March.