20 Apr 2007

Northern Marianas to get extra tourist flights from South Korea

9:42 am on 20 April 2007

The Governor of the Northern Marianans says Asiana Airlines will add four flights a week from South Korea to Saipan beginning May 27.

The flights will be on an Airbus 321 with 177 seats.

The extra flights offers great potential for the CNMI's tourism industry, boosting arrival capacity by 36,816 seats annually.

Governor Benigno Fitial has just returned from a visit to Seoul this week saying its welcome news for the Commonwealth's tourism industry.

He has also invited Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Japan Airlines, and All Nippon Airways to submit proposals to provide additional services to the Commonwealth.

Under a Five-Year Strategic Plan for Tourism, the Saipan Tribune newspaper reports the plan is to attract one million visitors annually by 2011.