The company launching Saipan Air, which is set to become the CNMI's first national carrier, says the islands can expect an additional 50,000 tourists annually, infusing about 100 million US dollars into the local economy.
Tan Holdings is launching the airline, and says Japan continues to hold the islands' biggest share of arrivals.
Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio says the Japan market accounts for about half of tourist arrivals in the CNMI.
However since Japan Airlines pulled out from the Northern Marianas in 2005, Japan arrivals in the islands have suffered considerably and continued to decline since then.
Saipan Air is scheduled to have its inaugural flight on July the 1st.
It will initially provide daily flights to Narita City in Japan and four times a week to Beijing, China.
