Arrivals from Japan fell 21 percent to 17,214 visitors in March. The March 5 Saipan Marathon attracted a record number of 800 participants, but nearly 1,800 cancellations were made from Japan following the March 11 earthquake, tsunami, and resulting nuclear crisis. Prior to the earthquake the NMI was averaging a healthy 87 percent airplane load factor from Japan for the month, but the load factor dropped to 64 percent following the disaster.
Overall, arrivals from Japan in March 2011 compared to March 2010 had been down 8 percent before the earthquake, dropping to -26 percent following the disaster. Also, since December 2010 one daily flight from Narita was been reduced to only three times a week. Therefore, instead of three daily flights from Narita, the NMI receives two daily flights from Narita and one flight arriving three days per week.
However, industry watchers are indicating that outbound travel from Japan is already starting to recover to normal levels, and that cancellations have almost entirely worked themselves out of the system. Generally, MVA and authorities from popular tourist destinations such as Hawaii, Guam and South Korea predict a 20-30 percent decrease in Japanese arrivals for the coming two to three months.
Arrivals from the primary market of Korea posted its first loss this fiscal year, falling 14 percent to 7,072. While the airline load factor prior to the earthquake was an average 73 percent, fears of radiation from Japan reaching the NMI caused the average load factor to fall to 59 percent for the month. Overall, arrivals from Korea in March 2011 compared to March 2010 had been up 2 percent before the earthquake in Japan, dropping to -22 percent following the disaster. Meanwhile, Asiana Airlines has decided to discontinue its Busan-Saipan service, effective June 6, 2011. Asiana said that the profitability of the Busan-Saipan route was insufficient to continue operating the service due to low average load factors.
The secondary market of China saw 2,707 arrivals in March, also a 15 percent decline over the same month last year. The NMI received one charter flight in March 2011 compared to two charter flights in March 2010.
Arrivals from Russia posted a healthy 31 percent increase to 650 arrivals in March, continuing to ride the strength of the Russian Ruble and publicity gained from several media and travel agent familiarization tours to the Northern Marianas in late 2010, including one television program that continues to be replayed nationwide due to its popularity.
Arrivals from the United States increased 51 percent to 1,137, bolstered by the arrival of one military vessel. Meanwhile, other source markets were lower, including Guam down 16 percent (1,307 arrivals), Philippines down 22 percent to 35, and Other Areas down 17 percent (246).
