South Korea’s budget airlines Air Busan, Jin Air and Air Seoul will merge into single carrier by March 2027. The boards of all three companies approved the merger plan and signed the agreement on Aug 21. The carrier will operate under the Jin Air name.
All three airlines currently fly independently into Guam.
GVB visitor arrivals in July compared to July 2025 saw a 36.7% decrease. Compared to fiscal 2025, visitor arrivals from October 2025 to July saw 0% difference, however Korea visitor arrivals decreased by 8.2%.
Korea is currently Guam’s largest tourism market and remains negatively impacted due to Korea’s increased international airline fuel surcharge levels, which peaked in May. Airfares to Guam from Korea costs up to $40 to $50 more per ticket, according to Journal files.
Jeju Air provides direct flights to Saipan from Seoul. MVA said compared to fiscal 2025, visitor arrivals from the top source market of South Korea totaled 57 in June compared to 4,793 arrivals last June. Jeju Air resumed direct Seoul-Saipan flights from June 20 and said it will continue its four weekly flights through March 2027.
Korean Air will fly from Incheon to Melbourne three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from Dec. 18 to March 14 next year. KAL will take over the Melbourne service previously operated by Asiana Airlines before the merger of the two airlines, using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and opening the Australian market to travelers in Asia and the Pacific rim, familiar with the service level of both airlines and the ease of onward connection from the Incheon hub.
Melbourne will upgrade its airport as airports in the Asia Pacific region recognize the traveler experience with spaciousness, retail and an awareness of the importance of the gateway or transit experience to travelers.
Regional hubs like Seoul Incheon International Airport, Tokyo Haneda Airport, and Hong Kong International Airport sweep top global rankings, continuously challenging Singapore's gold standard in the passenger experience.
Palau saw 6,963 visitors in July, compared to 7,171 last July, but saw 51,040 visitors from January to July compared to 40,339 in the first six months of 2025, with growth in several source markets. The Pacific Island Forum in Palau from Aug. 30 to Sept. 4 is expected to show an increased boost to arrivals.
In related news, representatives from the NMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, the Commonwealth Council for Arts & Culture, the NMI Office of Grants Management and the Marianas Visitors Authority met Aug. 13 “to begin the process of transferring of the Arts Council to MVA, as directed by NMI Executive Order 2026-014 signed by Governor David M. Apatang on Aug. 6,” according to an Aug. 23 release.
Epi Cabrera, grant administrator, provided an update at the meeting on outstanding payments to artists and cultural performers, reporting that significant progress has been made this month, with $156,000 in payments made to artists from FY 2024 funding and another $46,000 in payments anticipated to be paid out “within the next week or so,” according to the release.
The department was a division of the Department of Community & Cultural Affairs for many decades, and the change is one of a number made to consolidate agencies with duplicate functions, considering the government’s fragile fiscal situation.
MVA was awarded use of the historic Japanese Lighthouse property in Saipan by the Department of Public Lands for its new headquarters, and the tourism office plans to expand its future administrative office into an immersive visitor experience. mbj
