A snorkeler enjoys the waters of the CNMI Photo: MVA
The Northern Mariana Islands had a surge of visitors last month as the lifting of pandemic restrictions has led to more international flights.
Nearly 10,000 visitors arrived in the islands, compared to 551 visitors in August 2021.
About 8,100 of the tourists came from South Korea, up from only 94 in the same month a year earlier.
RNZ Pacific correspondent Mark Rabago said the flood of Korean tourists was due to China shutting down its borders.
"Because our number one market before was China and China shut itself down because of Covid-19. So, the second market was Korea."
The Northern Marianas also received 148 visitors from Japan in August 2022, compared to only one visitor in August 2021.
Rabago said the currency exchange is expected to go up for the Japanese yen and businesses are expecting more tourists next year.
Japanese tourists are expected to increase from this month with three weekly flights from Tokyo's Narita Airport to Saipan by United Airlines beginning on September 1 an under incentives offered by the TRIP programme.
The programme will continue for an initial six months as the local tourist body and tourism partners work to stabilise the Japan market.
Two major challenges facing the market include Japan's seventh wave of increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, resulting in travel apprehension, and a weak Japanese yen.
The CNMI also received 710 visitors from Guam, 558 guests from the United States and 219 visitors from all other destinations in August.
August's visitor arrivals numbers, however, is only about one-third the average monthly arrivals prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it marks a significant increase in arrivals since July 2021 at the implementation of the Tourism Resumption Investment Plan.