More than 100,000 Korean tourists visit Saipan in the first half of this year, exceeding pre-COVID levels

The number of Korean tourists visiting Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands in the first half of this year exceeded the level before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of Korean visitors to Korea in the next fiscal year (October 2023 to April 2024) was 107,790.
This is a 30% increase from the previous record of 3,598 people. It is also a 54% increase from the 70,275 people in the same period last year. The proportion of Koreans among all visitors (141,468 people), which was 45% in 2019, was 45%.
In the first half of this year, the rate was 76%, six points lower than last year's all-time high of 82%. The Marianas Tourism Authority has been providing seats on flights between Korea and Saipan through support from airlines since COVID-19.
The government believes that the increase in the number of Korean tourists is due to the fact that it has increased the supply of airline seats, expanded marketing support for airlines and travel agencies, and is working to combat the effects of high oil prices, the exchange rate, and rising prices.
In fact, the average boarding rate of Jeju Air (two flights a day) and T'way Air (one flight a day), which operate regular flights between Incheon and Saipan, is
The occupancy rate has remained at 90% for four consecutive months since January this year. Starting next month on the 17th, which is the start of the summer vacation season, Jeju Air will add charter flights for one month, resulting in a daily flight of
This will increase from three flights a day to four. Kim Se-jin, executive director of the Marianas Tourism Authority, said, "We plan to focus on expanding the Incheon-Saipan air route in the future."
"In addition to Ipan, we plan to actively support the development of various themed travel products on the neighboring islands of Tinian and Rota, as well as e-sports, leisure and camping."