Tudela promotes NMI in trip to Japan, China

Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela recently visited Okinawa, Japan and two key cities in China, a trip that he said gave him the opportunity to promote not only Saipan but also the rest of the CNMI as a premier tourist destination.

Tudela’s trip took place from Nov. 28 to Dec. 11. With him was staff member Jose DLC. Tenorio.

The mayor attended the presentation of the Meritorious Recognition Award to Choken Ginoza, chairman for the Micronesian Repatriation Association of Okinawa, which was held at Nishi Naha City.

The association was organized more than 30 years ago and its members have been coming to Saipan at least once or twice a year to honor and pray for their countrymen who died on Saipan and Tinian during World War II.

During the Okinawa trip, Tudela said they were toured to ancient monuments and other historic sites such as the cemetery of WWII military officers.

From Japan, Tudela and Tenorio participated in the second Global Outsourcing Summit 2008, held Dec. 4-6 in Zhengzhou, China.

From there, they went to Chengdu City for the fourth International Cooperation Summit for CEOs and Provincial Governors and Mayors. This event, held Dec. 7-9, focused on the special investment project called “Reconstructing Sichuan” with the help of international business community.

“I was privileged to promote Saipan as a popular resort destination to tourists from Japan, Korea and China, because of our distinct crystal clear and clean beaches,” Tudela said.

The Prime Minister of France, two chiefs of staff of two former French presidents and the global vice chairman of the Asia-Pacific CEO Association also spoke at the summit.

There were also in-depth discussions about the current financial crisis throughout Asia followed by viewpoints from political leaders around the world, provincial governors and mayors and business leaders.

Reconstruction of Sichuan City and as well as economic opportunities for the transfer of the global manufacturing and service industry to China were some of the main topics.

Tudela noted that because of the impact of the Asian recession, economic opportunities for Pacific islands differ greatly from one part of the region to another.

“I also touched about the eventual departure of our textile manufacturers, which is one factor of the local economy’s downturn,” he said.

He told participants that the CNMI benefited from globalization in the form of its thriving textile industry starting from 1980s until January 2005 when some fundamental changes in import quotas for textiles was dictated by the Multi-Fiber Agreement and other trade liberalization rules that went into effect.

“These changes made it possible for the developing world like China, to increase trade flows and take advantage of lower labor and production costs compared to Northern Marianas and Saipan,” Tudela told participants.

He told them that the lifting of trade quotas made it possible for China to sell more textiles and garments than before in markets such as the U.S., while at the same time decimating competition in such places as Saipan.

He told participants that the CNMI is leaning more and more on its tourism industry in order to survive. As part of this, he related the many improvements being done to make the destination more attractive

Tudela mentioned the different recreational facilities and amenities the CNMI can offer.

“I strongly emphasized that the CNMI recognizes the potential for greater tourism from Japan, China and Korea, but has yet to come up with a more concrete plan for how to get more affluent tourists from the market,” Tudela said in his trip report.

He added that segmentation of those markets and targeting selected segments with specific tourism programs that work will take time.