9 Mar 2009

Marshall Islands hotel rep confident about Japanese market

8:38 pm on 9 March 2009

A representative for Marshall Island's largest hotel says he's optimistic about visitor numbers to Majuro despite doubts over chartered flights from Japan.

Tourism industry officials say there is uncertainty over the number of Japan Airlines charter flights to Marshall Islands this year.

In 2007 there were six JAL charter flights to Marshall Islands. That number dropped to four last year.

The General Manager for the Marshall Islands Resort and Vice Chairman of the Visitors Authority, Bill Weza, says there is still demand from Japanese visitors to Majuro and says their needs can be met.

"Continental Micronesia is bringing in more frequent, smaller groups; the twelve to fifteen groups. We had two last week, we've got two this week. Yet by the end of the month we may end up with the same numbers as we had with the larger charters"

Bill Weza says discussions are also under way with Air Pacific to run services from the Asia Pacific Region to Marshall Islands.