ACCORDING to monthly statistics from the Marianas Visitors Authority, arrivals to Saipan, Tinian and Rota decreased 26% to 17,744 visitors in January 2025, compared to 23,840 visitors received in January 2024.
In December, visitor arrivals from South Korea registered 11,929, 29% lower than 16,770 visitors received in January 2024. The Marianas received 98 flights from Korea this January compared to 101 flights in January 2024. The Dec. 28 Jeju Air crash in Muan, South Korea negatively affecting the country’s outbound travel, resulting in over 2,500 immediate booking cancellations to Saipan, alone. While Guam lost their nighttime flight by Jeju in January, The Marianas was able to retain its nighttime flight until a temporary suspension starts from March 30 through July 11 as the airline grapples with the consequences of the disaster. In addition, seasonal flights from Busan were dropped in early January, with only 10 of 20 anticipated flights received. January 2024 flights also no longer include Asiana Airlines, while suspended operations to Saipan since July 2024.
MVA has been in ongoing discussions with airlines to add new airlift, with a formal announcement from the airlines anticipated in the next few months.
Visitor arrivals from Japan registered 1,757 in January 2025 compared to 4,494 visitors in January 2024 a 61% decrease. The difference was largely due to four times more visitor arrivals via cruise ship in January 2024 compared to January 2025.
China arrivals in January 2025 reached 1,962 compared to 827 arrivals in January 2024, an increase of 137% facilitated by Hong Kong Airlines’ twice weekly flights started in April 2024 between Hong Kong and Saipan. Prior to the pandemic, China was the second largest source market of visitors to The Marianas with multiple direct flights a week from five cities under Annex VI under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s U.S.-China Air Transport Agreement, which provided an exemption for The Marianas from the cap on the number of U.S.-China flights. MVA also had a representative office in China at that time.
In January, The Marianas also received 990 visitors from Guam, 772 visitors from the U.S. and a combined 334 visitors from all other markets.
