To much of the world, the Marshall Islands are best known for the US nuclear tests half a century ago but residents are hoping its largely undiscovered pristine beaches and abundant tropical reef life will soon be a magnet for tourists.

The central Pacific nation is hoping to kick-start its nearly non-existent tourist industry next year with plans by Japan Airlines (JAL) to start charter services to the capital Majuro.

The former US territory, which still hosts a US missile testing range on one of its 34 atolls and islands, has been bypassed by the surge in world tourism.

The Marshall Islands boasts untouched beaches on mostly remote and uninhabited islands, plentiful fishing and unique scuba diving opportunities. Currently visited by very few tourists each year, the Marshall Islands hopes the JAL plans will see tourism take off.

Nuclear atolls declared safe
Hands-on visitor experiences are what the Marshall Islands is preparing to provide Japanese tourists. These include sportsfishing for marlin and tuna, scuba diving on isolated reefs and tours to outer islands where culture is strong and islanders live much the way they have for centuries.

Both Bikini and Rongelap atolls were abandoned after nuclear tests in the late 1940s and 1950s but since US scientists declared them safe for short term visits have developed tourism programs.

Bikini offers scuba diving on a World War II fleet of American and Japanese naval ships — including the world's only diveable aircraft carrier — sunk during the nuclear tests.

Rongelap is starting to cash in with visitors coming for diving and fishing on islands uninhabited for decades. The minimal tourist infrastructure offers a more remote experience for tourists than other high profile and well-travelled island destinations such as Fiji, Guam, and Hawaii.

The Marshall Islands receive about 7000 visitors annually, but only about 2000 of those are tourists.

An 'avalanche' of tourists
Local hotel and tour operators are ecstatic over the likely influx of visitors, but are scrambling to come up with activities for what would amount by local standards to an avalanche of tourists.

Satoshi Yoshii, who has built a steady scuba dive business in the Marshall Islands for mainly Japanese divers, is preparing to hire additional dive masters and staff to cater for the new stream of visitors.

He has just opened a new, high-end getaway vacation spot on a secluded island that is just 15 minutes from the international airport.

And he's talking with local charter boat fishermen to get ready to provide about 20 boats for daily charters to take visitors fishing, diving and for picnics on small, uninhabited islands near the capital city. Currently, the laid back sports fishing industry is lucky to have one or two charters a day.

Bill Weza, general manager of the Marshall Islands Resort, the largest hotel on the island with about 130 rooms, says Majuro can cope. The entry of JAL into the Marshall Islands is the catalyst that everyone has been waiting for to jump-start the modest visitor industry, he says.

But there are only slightly over 200 hotel rooms at the three main hotels in Majuro and it would be a challenge for other visitors to find a hotel room once JAL charters kick in.

AFP