NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS’ TOURIST ARRIVALS SHRINK
By Edith G. Alejandro
SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (April 26, 2002 – Saipan Tribune)---Tourist arrivals to the Northern Marians dropped by 14.69 percent in March 2002, compared with the year ago’s tally, a report from the Marianas Visitors Authority has disclosed.
MVA records also indicate the volatility of the local tourism sector, with the October-March 2002 arrival statistics dropping by 27.13 percent to 191,945 from last year’s 263,411 during the same period.
In March 2002, the Northern Marianas played host to 37,869 visitors, lower than the 44,388 tourists recorded by the MVA in March 2001.
The strong rally of the Korean market, however, helped the CNMI tourism industry weather deeper upheavals as a result of the 21 percent decline in arrivals from Japan during March 2002.
Arrivals from Korea increased by 77 percent last month, in comparison with March 2001’s statistics. Had it not...