CNMI Gov. David Apatang said he met with the Marianas Visitors Authority on Wednesday after the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands said that reservations on the Korea–Saipan route have now closed beyond March 28, 2026.
“Right now I think MVA…is convening and continues to discuss what we can do to work something out so we can prevent that problem that is coming up,” Apatang told Marianas Press in an interview on Thursday.
In a February 10, 2026, statement, HANMI said, “Effective March 29, the Marianas will lose all direct air service from South Korea—our largest source market—which accounts for approximately 63 percent of total visitor arrivals. The loss of this connectivity represents a severe and immediate threat to the economic stability of the Commonwealth.”
Meanwhile, Gov. Apatang told MP that he was surprised to hear the news.
“I thought we were ok. This is a surprise for all of us here. So we are trying to figure out how we can remedy that situation.”
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