By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

THE islands’ tourist arrivals went up by 2.05 percent — the first time in 16 months after Japan Airlines abandoned the Saipan route.
A total of 37,990 tourists visited the islands last month, up by 762 visitors compared to last year. Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry Tenorio attributed the positive growth to the increase in Chinese and Korean arrival rates during the Lunar New Year celebration.
“China led the way in terms of percentage increases by growing 85 percent over the same period last year. This record breaking number was due to additional charter flights during Chinese New Year as well as Beijing charter flights,” said Tenorio in the monthly arrivals report for February.
According to MVA, 7,298 Chinese visited the CNMI last month, up by 3,346.
But Tenorio said they expect growth to be flat for Chinese arrivals this month due to the temporary suspension of Beijing charter flights.
The Korean arrival rate went up 14 percent last month to 7,721 from 6,778.
“Korea continues to grow and is up 14 percent compared to Feb. 2006. The additional flights added by Asiana Airlines are a strong factor in the continued growth in the Korean market,” said Tenorio.
He said the Korean market could potentially grow once Asiana Airlines expands its flight schedule on the route.
“MVA remains optimistic that our tourism industry will recover,” said Tenorio in a statement. “With the recent acquisition of Laolao Bay Golf Resort by Kumho Asiana, Asiana Airlines’ parent company, we expect the arrivals from Korea to grow in the coming months.”
Arrivals from Japan, the main market of the local tourism industry, continues to be weak.
But positive growth in the CNMI’s secondary markets cushioned the negative impact on the overall arrival rate.
Only 19,675 Japanese tourists visited the islands in February, down by 17 percent as the market continues to struggle with limited direct flights between Saipan and Tokyo.
“The suspension of the Osaka service continues to impact Japanese arrival numbers,” said Tenorio.
Arrivals from the Philippines went up by 78 percent in Feb. to 2,240.
The increase was due to the influx of Filipino nurses who took their National Council Licensure Examination on Saipan.
Tenorio believes with continued emphasis on Saipan as an approved destination for NCLEX — a requirement for foreign nurses seeking to work in the U.S. — the trend in Philippine arrivals could grow even more.
But as of last month, NCLEX is being offered in Manila.