Torres comes to the defense of CBP

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres commended yesterday the efforts of Customs and Border Protection officers, who are the first contact of tourists that visit the CNMI.

In a statement released by his office, Torres said he looks forward to working with the Commonwealth Ports Authority and the Marianas Visitors Authority to help alleviate the long immigration lines tourists endure after several hours of travel.

“The CBP officers that work the long hours and do the difficult work of protecting our borders should be commended and celebrated for their efforts. I thank them for being a productive partner to us in our tourism sector and hope to do what we can locally to enhance this important relationship,” said Torres.

“It is important to me that we all work together to ensure our visitors have an enjoyable experience from the moment they arrive. The CNMI has a good team in MVA and CPA that will be able to come together to address the issues we have experienced, build capacity for future growth, and build our destination brand from the very first step,” he added.

Tourism is the main source of revenue for the CNMI. Yet the Commonwealth is plagued by long tourist lines at the immigration booth, with tourists waiting up to three to four hours on certain days of the week.

MVA believes the long lines are detrimental to the industry.

According to an earlier interview with MVA managing director Chris Concepcion, CBP has already been contacted regarding the long lines.

He has since learned that Congress limits the number of CBP officers in the CNMI.

Concepcion said that CBP is only allowed 20 employees in the CNMI due to budgetary issues.

“The Marianas Visitors Authority has been receiving increased complaints from tourists, airlines, and tour companies about the inordinate amount of time being spent in line at U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon arrival at the Saipan International Airport,” said Concepcion.

Concepcion added that the long immigration lines makes the CNMI, as a beach resort destination, seem “less competitive” compared to other key players in the Asia-Pacific region.

“This is unacceptable for us as a beach resort destination. It is ruining the tourist experience immediately upon arrival and projecting a very damaging image of the Marianas,” he said.

Also worth noting is the ongoing renovations at the Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport.

The airport is currently undergoing several renovations such as the Transportation Security Authority Recapitalization Program for baggage systems as well as runway installations and passenger loading bridge replacements.

The spike in the number of Chinese and Korean tourists is at an all-time high due to the Chinese, Korean, and Russian visa waiver, with Chinese and Korean tourists leading the pack at 206,538 and 200,875 arrivals respectively. Chinese and Korean tourists comprise 81 percent of the total number of arrivals in the CNMI at 501,489.

The last time the total number of tourist arrivals reached the 500,000 mark was more than a decade ago, when Japan was still a strong tourist market for the CNMI.

“Something must be done before it’s too late,” said Concepcion.