The resort island that wants to become the ‘new Bali’ as international travel returns

A resort island which is a six-hour flight away from Brisbane hopes to become a new hub for Australian tourists seeking sunshine.

Already, more than 70 per cent of adults in Saipan, the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

With the virus running rampant in Bali, Saipan hopes to offer a safe and attractive alternative for Australians as international travel returns.

In the past year, plans for a new airline, Marianas Pacific, to operate services between Saipan and Australia have been building.

Chairman of Marianas Pacific, Neil Hansford, says it’s likely health authorities will allow Australians to travel to Saipan far earlier than other popular tourist destinations like Indonesia or the Philippines, due to the island’s success managing COVID-19.

“They have an excellent resort structure there with over 3000 rooms,” he told Ross and Russel.

“The economy is dependent on tourism so they’re doing something to get their way out of it.”

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