Airline cancels flight, tough tourism arrivals and more

United Airlines has filed schedule changes to cancel the Fukuoka Guam route, effective Oct. 26. United relaunched the route in 2022, at the same time as it did for the Nagoya-Guam route. United reduced the number of Nagoya-Guam flights in May and also flights on the Guam-Osaka route.

VIPs at a GVB event in May to promote the Haneda flight included (from left) Lt. Governor Joshua F. Tenorio; Takashiro Isao, chairman and CEO, Japan Airport Terminal Co. Ltd; Carl T.C. Gutierrez, president, Guam Visitors Bureau; and Kenichi Kiriyama, director, Japan and Micronesia Sales, United Airlines. Photo from Journal files

In May, United also launched a Haneda-Guam route after receiving a slot it was previously denied at an airport closer to Tokyo than Narita, to which United also flies. Despite vigorous promotion by the Guam Visitors Bureau and United in May, the Guam-Haneda route has yet to firmly prove itself.

Japanese outbound travelers numbered 930,000 in June; 60% of the 2019 level.

In May, Guam saw a total of 51,284 visitors: 56.4% down compared to 2019, with 12,034 of those coming from Japan, compared to 41,598 in May 2019. Still, the number of Japanese visitors was higher than May 2023, which saw 6,171 visitors from Japan.

GVB will participate in the upcoming Tourism Expo Japan, scheduled from Sept. 26 to Sept. 29 in Tokyo.

In related news, the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands reported a 41% average occupancy rate among 11 member hotels for June, a 12% decrease compared to the 47% average occupancy among 11 hotels in June 2023. The Hyatt Regency Guam will no longer do business in the NMI.

A total of 25,862 of 62,972 available room nights sold during June compared to 29,275 of 62,619 available rooms sold in June 2023. The average room rate was $121.79 compared to $131.03 last June, according to HANMI.

For June 2019, HANMI reported an 87.92% average occupancy rate among its then 11-member hotels. The figure reflected a 5% decrease due to the closure of the Mariana Resort & Spa, and the closure of the Coral Ocean Golf Resort due to Super Typhoon Yutu.

The Marianas Visitors Authority has launched an ad campaign to target millennials and Gen. Z and is already promoting the Jan. 18 Rota Marathon and has promoted NMI islands in Hong Kong through a member delegation.

Palau has announced future direct flights from Japan. President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishina of Japan during the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting in Tokyo from July 16 to 18. The Office of the President announced that “direct charter flights from Japan will begin in the first quarter of 2025,” after the meeting, but no further details were shared.

Palau saw 4,475 visitors in May, with 341 of those coming from Japan. mbj

Airline cancels flight, tough tourism arrivals and more