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Adriano favors use of Managaha fee for MVA
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Posted on May 08 2005
Senate president Joaquin G. Adriano said he would call for a meeting with the members of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation to discuss the proposed use of Managaha landing fees for the Marianas Visitors Authority.
MVA is asking for a $2-million supplemental budget this fiscal year to fund its marketing promotions.
“We discussed it with senate members and we are hoping to get the funds out of Managaha landing fees. We need to confer with the local delegation,” said Adriano.
Earlier, Gov. Juan N. Babauta wrote the delegation on the need to tap the fund to help MVA.
“I recommend that the local delegation do what has worked in the past: use your authority to appropriate funds that are available and will become available from Managaha landing fees to support Marianas tourism,” said Babauta in his March 31 letter to delegation chairman, Sen. Pete P. Reyes.
Babauta had cited that the government’s decision over a year ago to allocate $2.6 million from the same source, Managaha landing fees, reaped great rewards in marketing the CNMI.
He said that tourist arrivals increased to 530,000 in 2004, the highest number since 1997.
Since 2002, he said the MVA’s funding has remained flat at $6 million and the Legislature has made no additional appropriations for promotion.
Babauta, noted though, that the current Managaha account would not be enough to cover MVA’s needs.
The governor said his administration is committed to building the Northern Marianas “into a destination that attracts visitors by virtue of the quality of their experience.”
“Destination enhancement has been part of the administration’s long-term economic development strategy. We have—and we continue—to make substantial investments in assuring the environment is clean and attractive,” he said.
He said the government has invested and will continue to invest in improving specific geographic areas that are important to the business of tourism.
Among these are the Paseo de Marianas, American Memorial Park visitors center, and the entire Garapan Revitalization project, which have so far cost some $14 million, he said. (Liberty Dones)
