CDA funds MVA’s exit survey

The Commonwealth Development Authority has agreed to provide a $40,000 financial assistance to the Marianas Visitors Authority in conducting exit surveys which would aid the tourism office in marketing effectively the CNMI overseas.

The Department of Commerce will help MVA in implementing the survey by hiring the right people who will carry out the interviews. Originally, the tourism office planned to conduct a quarterly exit survey to acquire a more consistent data. But with a small funding, it might only carry out two exit surveys for this year.

Last year, when MVA conducted a similar survey among Japanese tourists, it had difficulty in hiring interviewers due to limited budget. This time, MVA hopes to make a profile of the Korean visitors, the second biggest market of the CNMI, since it would guide tourism officials in improving its market reach.

The Japanese survey last year was the first conducted by tourism officials after two years, an important tool which would guide the MVA in promoting the Northern Marianas.

Majority of the 1,400 Japanese tourists who were surveyed are males. The study also revealed that travel agents influenced the respondents’ decision to come to the CNMI.

A similar study conducted by the defunct Marianas Visitors Bureau two years ago showed that the popularity of the Northern Marianas as a destination was attributed to its clean beaches and proximity to Japan.

Among the highlights of the survey on Japanese tourists are at least one-third of the respondents were mostly repeat visitors and majority of the respondents came to the island for pleasure and stayed here for three nights while 21 percent stayed for four nights.

Tour packages remain the dominant mode of travel arrangement for almost three-fourths of the respondents. Seventeen percent came on company trips followed by a mere nine percent from individually-arranged tours.

Friends or relatives were the most cited traveling companions. while about 27 percent came to the island with spouses, followed by 24 percent who arrived with business associates.

MVA believes that the surveys will not only help in the promotion of Northern Marianas but also guide owners of tourist establishments on the preference of Japanese visitors.