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CNMI to boost tourism pitch in Korea
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Posted on Aug 24 1999
Buoyed by the planned daily non-stop Seoul-Saipan flights of Asiana Airlines, the Marianas Visitors Authority is planning to carry out more promotional campaign in South Korea.
Currently, MVA has only set aside $125,000 to promote the CNMI as an ideal destination in Korea to maintain visibility there. When Asiana begins its daily flights, MVA wants to take advantage of the situation by pumping in more money for promotion.
Since last year, tourist arrivals from South Korea has been steadily increasing as that country’s economy showed great improvement since the Asian crisis begun in July 1997. The economic crisis had forced the Seoul government to seek a $58 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
Korean Air has expressed its intention to resume service to Saipan. Korea used to be Saipan’s second biggest tourism market after Japan.
The airline has been providing service to Saipan for 14 years until it suspended operations due to the tragic crash on Guam where 230 people were killed. Korean Air used to ferry an average of 12,000 passengers to the CNMI.
Due to the increase in outbound travel from Korea, Asiana Airlines has begun providing direct Seoul-Saipan service using a B767 six times a week on April 2.
Korean Air board chairman Yang Ho Cho recently visited Saipan and met with Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio as well as the island’s tourism officials. Tenorio has sent a letter to Korea’s Ministry of Transportation and Construction supporting the application of Korean Air to resume service on the island.
The island’s tourism economy has greatly suffered due to the decline in visitor arrivals spawned by the financial fallout in Asia.
