With American company Delta Airlines deciding to cut some flights to the Northern Marianas, efforts are now being made to lure low-cost carriers in Japan.
The Marianas Visitors Authority's Perry Tenorio said the CNMI wants to mimic what Jeju Air has done in South Korea by attracting low-cost carriers from Japan to the islands.
He said this is one of the keys to rebuilding the CNMI's former No. 1 source market.
In March there was a 51 percent drop in available seats for travellers from Japan to the CNMI.
This saw Japanese arrivals plummet by 34 percent to below 9,000 visitors.