The launch of several new flights from Asia to the CNMI has resulted in an eight percent annual increase in visitor arrivals.
Asian tourists on a CNMI beach Photo: RNZ / Mark Rabago
The Marianas Visitors Authority said arrivals to the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota registered 41, 502 visitors in June 2016, compared to 38,342 in June last year.
Arrivals from Korea made up nearly half of the arrivals and posted their strongest month so far this year.
Numbers jumped 33 percent in June to 18,556 visitors.
Last month Korea's low cost carrier Jin Air started flying into CNMI from Seoul.
Philippine Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines launched new services to Saipan last month and their flights were heavily booked by mainland Chinese visitors.
In June arrivals from China increased 2 percent to 15,145 visitors, while visitors from Japan dipped 5 percent to 4,708 visitors as the CNMI continues to feel the effect of Delta Air Lines cutting its Narita to Saipan night flight last October.
