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The kind of visitors we want
With all the upcoming hotel developments, the number of hotels rooms in the Northern Marianas is projected to increase at least another 60 percent over the new few years, likely more.
But may I caution that MORE is not always more?
We live on a small island. Rather than seeking just MORE and MORE visitors, why not target some higher-spending visitors? Personally, I’m already seeing the repercussions of MORE, and it’s not pretty. Do we really need MORE trash thrown on the ground instead of in trash receptacles? Do we need MORE beachgoers collecting bags of sea cucumbers from our lagoons? Do we need MORE poor drivers on our roads, jeopardizing the safety of other drivers and bikers? No doubt others have witnessed even MORE than I.
I say, let us look to the example of our brothers and sisters to the south, where Palauan President Tommy Remengesau is cited in the latest edition of the Marianas Business Journal as saying it may look profitable for businesses to book large packaged tour groups, but in the long run, it will prove to be damaging. In a letter to the Foreign Investment Board, Remengesau is quoted to state, “As you are likely aware, our administration is pursuing a policy of targeting high-end tourists. These tourists come to our island for a Palauan experience. They stay longer, spend more money in the local economy and have respect for our culture and our environment.”
That’s the kind of visitor I want. Absolutely, we can and should make MORE money from tourism, and we do need a diverse mix of visitors, but let’s make more of an effort to attract the kind of visitor who values our home enough to spend MORE to be here, rather than just trying to get MORE and MORE bodies. Otherwise, we may find that having MORE actually leaves us with less.
Catherine Perry
Koblerville, Saipan
