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Tinian Dynasty, Mandarin Air to sign charter agreement
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Posted on Apr 06 2000
Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino and Mandarin Airlines will sign a charter agreement on April 11, 2000 in Taipei, a move which is expected to boost visitor arrivals in the CNMI.
Mandarin Airlines will begin its Taipei-Saipan flight twice a week on May 1, 2000 using a B737-800 which can accommodate 158 passengers.
While the CNMI has been getting regular visitors from Taipei, the number has not considerably increased due to lack of direct flight from Taiwan unlike in neighboring island Guam.
Tinian Dynasty officials have been negotiating with Mandarin Airlines to fly here three months ago in a move to increase traffic and tourists arrival to the island-municipality of Tinian. A group of travel agents from Taipei helped Tinian Dynasty in closing the deal as they also pledged to market the destination.
Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry J Tenorio expressed his support on the efforts made by the Tinian Dynasty to market the hotel casino and the destination.
While Continental Micronesia has pledged to provide more flights from Japan to Micronesia, Mr. Tenorio said MVA will continue to look for other opportunities for the CNMI to revive the ailing tourism economy.
Aside from Mr. Tenorio, other officials expected to attend the signing agreement are Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Carlos H. Salas, Aviation Task Force Chair J.M. Guerrero and Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission Chair Martin DLG San Nicolas.
The financially beleaguered Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino has earlier tried to convince Continental Micronesia to fly Taipei-Tinian but efforts failed as the island’s tourism economy drastically declined since the Asian recession.
MVA is looking at developing Taiwan as its alternative market in view of the decline in arrivals from Japan and Korea as a result of Asia’s financial crisis. Although MVA has yet to establish a representative office in Taipei, tourism officials have been planning to increase the visibility of the CNMI in Taiwan.
