GOVERNOR Ralph DLG Torres expressed support for Marianas Pacific Airlines’ plan to connect the CNMI with Australia.
He said having Australian tourists under a travel bubble program would be a bonus for the Commonwealth, and would help diversify the CNMI tourism market.
The governor hopes that the start-up company will be able to move forward with its goals, noting that the Marianas Visitors Authority supports the proposed route as well.
“I hope we can do this sooner than later. This is a great opportunity for us, while we take care of the transformation of our tourist sites… Of course, our goal is to turn the CNMI into a world-class destination,” he said.
Torres emphasized that tourism is the Commonwealth’s only revenue-generating industry.
Without tourists, the CNMI does not have an economy, he added.
The more destinations there are, the better for the CNMI, the governor said, adding that if one destination experiences economic downturn, the others will still help the CNMI pull through.
“With the pandemic, Australia is looking at the CNMI as a travel opportunity because we are one of the safest places on Earth. We have strict protocols. That’s the reason why we are safe,” he said.
The MVA board of directors on Thursday listened to a presentation from the start-up company, which is still in its formative stages, and unanimously voted to establish an Australian travel bubble ad hoc committee.
Marianas Pacific Airlines is locally owned and operated, and is aiming to connect the CNMI with Australia in an effort to forge new trade opportunities for tourism, export and import businesses, while facilitating travel for essential services for the Commonwealth.
It plans to operate as a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration-approved scheduled service Part 121 air carrier, allowing unrestricted operation, with 52 flights a week on seven routes in the next three years using three U.S.-registered aircraft.
Marianas Pacific aims to bring in 140,000 passengers in its first year of operation, providing flights from Saipan to Brisbane and Sydney as early as the first quarter of 2022.
