Palau sees 26% fewer visitors in September versus last month
In September, Palau recorded a total of 4,499 visitor arrivals, reflecting a seasonal decrease, the Palau Visitors Authority said. This represents a 26% drop compared to the previous month’s total of 6,061arrivals.
Palau saw 65,558 visitors in fiscal 2025, which ended Sept. 30. From January to September, Palau recorded 50,899 international arrivals, achieving a 23% increase compared to the 41,525 visitors received in the same period of 2024.
Moments after landing at the Roman Tmetuchl International Airport in Palau on October 29, 2025, His Excellency The Honorable Surangel Whipps, Jr., President of the Republic of Palau, and Steve Morrissey, Vice President, International Regulatory & Policy for United Airlines, (first row, from left), celebrate the inaugural flight of the new route between Tokyo Narita, Japan and Koror, Palau. Photo courtesy Office of the President
There were 34,096 visitors from Asia to Palau, and 4,961 Japan arrivals in the months from January through September among the total of 50,899. Those figures should get a boost from United’s Narita to Koror flight, which launched Oct. 30. The flight has the potential to connect U.S. visitors to Narita and onward to Palau through United’s system also. See Palau welcomes new United Airlines flight from Narita.
In calendar year 2019, Palau saw a total of 93,723 visitors.
In related tourism news, the Guam Reef Hotel is conducting “comprehensive repair and maintenance services of the hotel’s Automatic Transfer Switch” to ensure that it is at peak performance level. The hotel will close temporarily from Nov. 3 to Nov. 12 to allow for the work, the Reef said in a release. mbj
On Dec. 24, Palau and the United States signed two memorandums of understanding that will see Washington expand support for Palau’s health, security, pensions and education infrastructure, and an agreement for Palau to accept up to 75 third country nationals who entered the U.S. without authorization but have no known criminal history.
Hugh Cavill, director of government affairs for the Cruise Lines International Association, said Micronesia is positioned well for cruise-based tourism.
The launch of additional PAL flights will not only add to the airline’s expansion into the Micronesia region, but will allow passengers direct flights with the airline, rather than any transit in Guam or Tokyo.
