Visitor arrivals to the CNMI saw double-digit growth from the islands' primary markets of Japan and Korea in March 2010 compared to same period last year.
According to the Marianas Visitors Authority, arrivals to the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota registered 36,220 visitors last month, up 10 percent versus the 32,908 arrivals welcomed in March 2009.
Arrivals from Japan posted strong gains at 15 percent higher than March 2009 with 21,685 visitors.
The growth from the Japan market is largely attributed to more air seats from Osaka than a year ago.
Arrivals from Korea, meanwhile, rode the wave of economic recovery in the nation and registered a remarkable 48-percent growth in March 2010 over the previous March at 8,185 visitors.
However, the MVA reported that the CNMI is already feeling the effects of the temporary suspension of Delta Airlines flights between Nagoya and Saipan and Asiana Airlines between Osaka and Saipan in April.