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MVA targets residents in awareness campaign
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Posted on May 09 2012
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
Many of the Marianas Visitors Authority’s events in May are intended to raise public awareness and educate island residents of the importance of tourism in the CNMI, according to MVA community projects manager Martin Duenas.
“Our focus for the past two years has been public awareness, public tourism educational activities and projects,” Duenas said yesterday.
Duenas was the guest speaker during a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Saipan yesterday at Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Giovanni’s Restaurant.
He discussed with the Rotary, among other things, at least five projects for the month of May: the Hafa Adai Tirow Spirit Island Wear Fridays, Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival and Beer Garden, My Marianas Outreach Presentation, On-the-Street Interviews, and the Radio Tourism Trivia.
Lt. Gov. Eloy Inos recently proclaimed the month of May as “CNMI Tourism Month,” with the theme “Tourism is Everybody’s Business.”
“Basically Tourism Month is [raising] awareness [for] locals,” Duenas said.
Duenas said the Taste of the Marianas basically targets tourists but local residents also patronize the event.
The other events are pretty much local awareness programs, said Duenas, citing the On-the-Street Interviews and the Radio Tourism Trivia.
“It’s a matter of instilling in the community the importance of tourism, historical data, [and] information about tourism,” he said.
Duenas said when people have knowledge about the tourism, they will appreciate and respect the industry, then contribute on their part to help enhance and promote the CNMI destination.
“That’s the message that go with all these programs that we want to convey,” he added.
