Cooperative associations in the Yaeyama district want increases in tourism and business, and to insure they’re getting the best services possible, they’re encouraging Ishigaki residents and businesses to fly with Skymark Airlines.

On Ishigaki Island, the heads of twenty cooperative associations representing tourism, products manufacture and the industrial sector of Yaeyama district have announced they’re giving financial assistance to Skymark Airlines flights between Naha and Ishigaki Island. Skymark Airlines had been planning to quit flight service between Naha and Ishigaki Island because of occupancy rates decrease to 30~50% during low season.

Skymark specializes in low-price service and started the route between Naha and Ishigaki Island last July. As a result, other airlines also started to offer similar price range service. Yaeyama officials say that if Skymark dropped service for the route, the other airlines would raise prices back like they used to be. The Cooperative Association said, ’it will exert negative impact to the tourism sector which currently is doing great.’  The chief of the cooperative association, Seiryu Togo, says he “would like to call on everyone to take advantage of Skymark for business trips and ceremonial occasions.”

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