Photo: Copyright: kunertus / 123RF Stock Photo
The return of Philippine Airlines' Manila-Saipan service next year is expected to broaden access to the CNMI and could bring more Chinese tourists to the islands.
Philippine Airlines is set to resume twice-weekly flights beginning March 29, marking the Philippine flag carrier's return to the Marianas after several years.
The managing director of the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA), Jamila Taijeron, said the route was not only aimed at the Philippines market but also provided an additional gateway for Chinese travellers seeking new and quicker ways to transit through regional hubs.
"Right now, Chinese travel, of course, a lot of them through Hong Kong Airlines, but also they're travelling through Incheon, because Hong Kong Airlines currently only serves twice a week to the CNMI, so the access is not available, it's not easily accessible.
"So having an additional two times a week from PAL will increase the access for Chinese travellers, but also for everybody," Taijeron said.
As for the early morning departure time (around 3am) from Manila which could be difficult for Chinese tourists, Taijeron said the MVA was working with stakeholders to improve connectivity and address scheduling challenges associated with the departure times from the Philippines.
At the same time, Taijeron said MVA's promotion and marketing efforts are leaning heavily to the Korea market, the CNMI's largest source of visitors, as it works to stabilise tourism arrivals.
She confirmed that charter flights arranged through E-Land partners T'Way Air and Busan Air will operate in January and February, adding roughly four flights a week during the peak winter season.
Aerial view of Garapan, Saipan seen from Mt Tapochao, Saipan's highest peak. Photo: 123RF
Despite improving airlift prospects, Taijeron noted hotel occupancy tax revenues have been down due to lower visitor numbers - she said MVA was facing tighter financial constraints when it is trying to rebuild tourism.
"It is a huge challenge. And, you know, we keep saying that right now, tourism is our only economy, and we need to support it. Every other destination, when they identify that they need to improve their tourism, they support tourism."
Taijeron said MVA plans to continue discussions with Gov. David M. Apatang and the Legislature in hopes of amending the budget or securing supplemental funding to align spending authority with available funds. She added that, despite the financial challenges, the outlook for early 2026 is improving as airlines confirm additional service to the CNMI.
"Without flights, we simply cannot increase visitor arrivals," she said. "Once we get the flights, we're confident we can build the market and bring visitors back."
During the actual MVA meeting, board director Chris Nelson inquired about the viability of the reboot of the Manila-Saipan service.
"We want that flight to be successful, but I'm just wondering what the business case is, because I remember a few years ago that flight not being successful, and our economy is smaller, the number of workers that are here is smaller, everything is smaller than it was, and so I just would like to know what our direction is, if we're going to support, how we're going to best support that?" Chris Nelson asked.
MVA board chair Warren F. Villagomez said, perhaps, it would be wise to invite a representative from Philippine Airlines in the next MVA board meeting.
"Maybe invite a representative to go online, just to give us an overview of exactly what the initiatives and the market points [are going] forward.
"Because the commitment that we're making for our people, as well as the Filipino communities, they're looking at it is longer than just how it was in previous years," he said.
Divers preparing for dive in the grotto collapsed cave on Saipan, Northern Marianas, Central Pacific, Pacific Photo: AFP / Michaelk Runkel
Declining visitor numbers
Earlier in the board meeting, Taijeron reported that visitor arrivals in November totalled 8,618, a 29.7 percent decline year over year, largely driven by reduced airline seat capacity.
Japan arrivals more than doubled compared to last year due to group travel, while Korea arrivals fell 42 percent amid flight reductions. China showed signs of gradual recovery. Despite fewer seats, load factors remained relatively strong at about 76 percent in November.
Looking ahead, she said MVA projects about 148,000 visitors for the 2026 financial year, up 2 percent from its previous forecast but still below last year's 160,000 arrivals. The outlook includes added service from Hong Kong Airlines and Philippine Airlines, offset by Jeju Air's shift from daytime to night-time flights, which management said could affect higher-spending independent travellers.
In other actions, the board moved to update MVA policies to comply with Public Law 24-18, which increases paid military leave for government employees from 15 to 30 working days annually, and approved the rescission and reissuance of a request for proposals for improvements at Marpi tourist sites, over a dissenting vote from Saipan board member Vicky Benavente.