Arrivals up 2.13 pct. in January

More tourists visited the CNMI in January compared to the same period last year and the local visitors authority attributes the modest spike to the charter flights from Russia and Lunar New Year arrivals.

Tourist arrivals to the islands rose 2.13 percent last month compared to January 2008, with total visitor arrivals reaching 38,932 in January 2009 versus 38,119 in January 2008, based on the latest statistics from the Marianas Visitors Authority issued yesterday.

While the worldwide economic downturn paints a bleak forecast for arrivals in 2009, the small gain in January came from two Russian charter flights, increased travel during the Chinese New Year holiday, and an increase in arrivals from Japan over last January, the MVA said in a statement.

Arrivals from Japan posted an 11 percent increase in arrivals over a year ago to 22,302, yet still dropped significantly for the second month in a row. Holiday travel during the Lunar New Year boosted January arrivals from China by 27 percent to 4,427. Also, two charter flights by Vladivostok Airlines arrived in January, raising the monthly total to 1,135 visitors from Russia, or 60 percent more than last January.

“We’re pleased to see the small gains in arrivals in January, especially with tourism being down worldwide. It’s an indication that our CNMI travel industry’s investment in the China and Russia markets can make a difference for the CNMI,” said MVA managing director Perry Tenorio. “Our greater concern is for the rest of year, particularly with anticipated Northwest Airlines service reductions and if we lose the visa waiver for China and Russia under federalization.”

The CNMI’s primary source market of Korea posted a third consecutive month of loss with 23 percent fewer arrivals than January 2008—8,676 visitors. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Koreans traveling overseas last year was nearly 10 percent lower than the previous year amid the global economic recession and the depreciation of the won.

In particular, in November and December last year, the number of Koreans departing the country dropped 33.8 percent and 38.1 percent respectively, from a year earlier.

Hana Tour, the nation’s largest travel agent, expects the slump to continue at least until the end of the first half of the year. The falling Korean won is also discouraging Korean consumers from spending their money on overseas travel.

Arrivals to the CNMI from Guam and the mainland U.S. were also down last month to 521 and 1,405 arrivals, respectively. [B][I](MVA)[/I][/B]