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Yumul to MVA: Give balanced focus on dwindling source markets
For Rep. Ralph Yumul (Ind-Saipan), the CNMI should be “open-minded” to the U.S. military’s plans, considering that the federal government has considerable control particularly on tourism.
The lawmaker, a member of the House minority bloc, said the federal government has always monitored tourism in the CNMI and that it can “easily control the number of tourists coming in, particularly Chinese tourists.”
Yumul made the comments during the House budget hearing for the Marianas Visitors Authority.
He also recommended that MVA focus its efforts—and funding—to dwindling source markets such as Japan.
Yumul stressed that this is his main concern, and that the MVA should be ready and put more efforts on Japanese and Korean tourists who do not have many travel restrictions.
“What I’m trying to say is, I would prefer the MVA to put money in other markets,” he said.
He added that leaning too much toward the Chinese market could send the wrong signals to the Department of Defense.
Currently, Chinese tourists enter the CNMI via a parole arrangement, allowing them to travel to the CNMI without a U.S. visa. Japanese and Korean tourists do not have the same restrictions.
Yumul emphasized that while he does not totally support proposals on live-fire military training, the CNMI still needs to “be more open” and be willing to listen and not just give a straight “no.”
Rep. Antonio P. Sablan (Ind-Saipan), meanwhile, said there is a need for the MVA to gather more data on Japan. He particularly mentioned that the MVA should do a study on the preferences of the younger generation of Japanese tourists, who seem to come to the CNMI once but never return.
“This is unlike years ago, when a Japanese tourist and his family often goes back to the CNMI year after year. There used to be generations of Japanese families going back to the islands,” Sablan said.
Sablan said the MVA should gather statistics and find out why younger Japanese do not return to the CNMI as often as their older counterparts did.
MVA representatives attending the hearing, headed by MVA managing director Perry Tenorio, said the agency will study the lawmakers’ comments.
