Korean company mulls Seoul-Saipan charter

A Korean company has expressed interest in providing charter flights between Seoul and Saipan.

This developed as the Commonwealth Ports Authority also disclosed Friday that Air Saipan, Ltd., which also plans to provide charter flights to the island, might possibly begin operations in March.

CPA executive director Lee Cabrera said the company, the name of which he did not disclose yet, has begun communicating with his office about the planned charters.

Cabrera said he has already informed the company about requirements that need to be met so it could provide flight services to Saipan.

While Japanese arrivals to the CNMI declined following the pullout of Japan Airlines’ regular flights to the islands, arrivals from Korea—the Commonwealth’s second biggest tourist market—have been posting growth in the past months. The high travel demand in Korea prompted Asiana Airlines to add three flights weekly to Saipan, raising the total number of inbound flights per week to 10.

Marianas Visitors Authority statistics show that the CNMI played host to 69,952 Korean tourists in 2005. The last quarter alone saw 19,274 Korean visitors, higher by 4,903—a 34-percent growth—than the 14,371 tourists of the same period in 2004.

The market posted significant growth during the last quarter of the year—70 percent in October when 2005 figures increased to 5,369 from only 3,156 in 2004; 38 percent in November, with 2005 arrivals settling at 6,503, higher than 2004’s 4,723; and 14 percent in December, when 7,402 Koreans came to the islands in 2005, surpassing the high 2004 total of 6,492.

MVA continues to tap travel segments from Korea, particularly honeymoon travelers. In a media statement, acting MVA managing director Tess Castro said the CNMI would participate in the Weddex Spring 2006 Travel and Trade Show, the largest wedding trade and travel exhibition in the Asian country.

“The five-day show will include participation from tourist organizations, travel agents and numerous vendors who will showcase their ultimate wedding and honeymoon packages together with clothing, food, furniture, and photography,” Castro said.

She said the show attracted more than 66,000 travel trade and consumer visitors last year.

The Korean honeymoon market was once the core travel market from Korea to the CNMI prior to the Asian economic crisis, but stiff competition in the global market and cheaper destinations reaped this travel segment from not only the CNMI, but from Guam as well.

“The Korean honeymoon market was once the core travel market from Korea to the CNMI prior to the Asian economic crisis, but stiff competition in the global market and cheaper destinations reaped this travel segment from not only the CNMI, but from Guam as well,” noted the MVA executive.

Castro said MVA would visit travel agencies and perform other promotional work to lure more Koreans to come to the CNMI when local representatives go to the Asian country to participate in the trade show.

She added that representatives from Saipan’s hotels, including Saipan World Resort, Marianas Resort, Fiesta Resort & Spa and Saipan Grand Hotel, would promote their facilities to Korean travel agents and the media.