MVA, GCEA call for new tourism strategies after HKA flight cancellations

The Marianas Visitors Authority is calling for alternative travel routes and greater community involvement to revive the CNMI's struggling tourism industry following Hong Kong Airlines' cancellation of its Saipan flights through December.

MVA acting chair Vicky Benavente said the agency remains committed to promoting the Marianas despite the latest setback.

"We will continue to market the Marianas as a pristine and premier travel destination," Benavente told Marianas Press.

"With the cancellation of flights, strategies must be implemented to ensure that the travelers can consider other options to reach our destination."

Benavente also called for stronger community support, particularly from government leaders.

"That said, we need greater community involvement, and it begins with the Marianas leadership."

Alex Sablan, chairman of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisers' Committee on Tourism, Infrastructure, and Sports, echoed the need for urgent action, warning that the CNMI could lose more airline connections if the tourism industry continues to struggle.

"We can't just sit idly by and just wait for the other shoe to drop. At the end of the day, we need to have airlines. We need to protect what we've got today," Sablan told Marianas Press.

Sablan expressed particular concern about Jeju Air's South Korea-Saipan services, saying Chinese tourists transiting through South Korea accounted for an estimated 30% to 40% of the airline's passenger load to the CNMI.

"Losing near 40 percent load factor on Jeju is a concern," he said, noting that the airline already operates a limited schedule of four flights weekly.

Sablan said the CNMI must aggressively pursue other tourism markets, including the Philippines, and support legislation expanding visa waiver eligibility to additional countries.

"We have to go after as many things as we can get and we have to grow the markets that have the ability to come in under visa waiver program," he said.

He said tourism recovery efforts involving GCEA and other organizations are underway and would likely continue into the next administration.

Hong Kong Airlines Saipan station manager Joan Boongaling earlier confirmed that the airline canceled its Saipan-Hong Kong flights from Nov. 3 to Dec. 30 following the U.S. government's suspension of the CNMI Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, or EVS-TAP.

The suspension, which took effect Oct. 31, Saipan time, ended visa-free entry under the program for eligible Chinese nationals visiting the CNMI for up to 14 days.

Hong Kong Airlines had resumed twice-weekly flights to Saipan on July 13 following disruptions caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April. Its first returning flight carried 156 passengers, a 96% load factor, raising hopes for the CNMI's tourism recovery.