The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on Thursday launched a “travel bubble” for vaccinated tourists from South Korea, according to the Mariana Islands Visitors Bureau, which said it was South Korea’s first such travel agreement.

“Those who wish to travel under the travel bubble agreement between the two countries must get a vaccination against COVID 19 with vaccines approved and provided by their respective governments at least 14 days prior to departure,” according to the Mariana Islands Visitor Authority.

CNMI visitors are required to take a COVID-19 test three days before returning to Korea.

Guam, a competing tourist destination, will begin easing travel quarantine requirements starting July 4, allowing visitors to skip the quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of arriving here. Fully vaccinated travelers are already exempt from quarantine.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero cited Guam’s high vaccination rate – more than 75% of the adult population was fully vaccinated – as the reason for further easing travel quarantine. She signed an executive order on Wednesday to facilitate travel quarantine.

According to the Guam government’s Recovery Task Force, the new quarantine policy means travel bubbles are now superfluous here.

More:Governor: No quarantine for travelers with a negative COVID-19 test starting July 4th

More:CNMI launches Safe Travel Program with Guam

“The bubble business is good, but we strive for real business,” said Gerry Perez, vice president of the Guam Visitors’ Office.

According to the Marianas Visitor Authority, CNMI Governor Ralph Torres traveled to Seoul and signed the travel bubble agreement with Seong Kyu Hwang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, on Wednesday.

“Today’s agreement between (the ministry) and CNMI is the biggest step forward in restarting the CNMI tourism industry,” said Viola Alepuyo, chair of the Marianas Visitor Authority, who was part of the delegation to Seoul. “This travel bubble is the bridge we need for Korea travelers who choose our destination as tourism resumes globally. In consultation with the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Health Care Corporation, we are confident that the safety measures set out by this Travel Bubble Agreement are essentially full vaccination to keep our island community safe.

Before the pandemic shutdown, South Korea had overtaken Japan as Guam’s main tourism market, with 45% of visitors coming from Korea in fiscal 2019, compared with 41% from Japan.

Sam Shinohara, chairman of the Guam Recovery Task Force, said the South Korean market is more promising than the Japanese market on Wednesday.

“I think it’s really Korea in the short term,” said Shinohara, United Airlines managing director. “You are ready to go, the vaccinations are a little faster than everyone else. And I think maybe with this implementing regulation (easing travel quarantine) there might be some hope of getting people in a little faster. “

“What GovGuam just released, the implementing regulation, is much simpler and clearer. So I doubt the CNMI will be well received, ”said Ho Eun, member of the Recovery Task Force, chairman of Core Tech International. “Based on what we have just done (with the implementing regulation), I think Korea needs Guam more than Korea. In other words, we have actually already opened up. “