Bringing the crowds to Saipan

Last week we shared some ideas that could bring more tourists to Saipan. A CEO of a California-based company picked one of the suggestions from last week’s article on the Internet, and talks are going on right now to explore the idea’s potential.

This was just one of a couple of dozen ideas that were shared at a recent brainstorming session. Implementing just a few of the ideas could add several thousand more visitors to our islands, start a major turnaround for our dwindling tourist numbers, and be the answer we desperately need to bring better times to the CNMI.

At the same meeting, we took what was collectively considered the top concept (having a convention center) and explored next action steps and ideas that could help make it become a reality. If we had a convention center that could handle hundreds or even thousands of people, then it would help attract corporate event planners, clubs, associations, and regular tourists to visit the islands. Combined with our perennially warm weather, short flight time from Asian countries, and excellent golf courses, Saipan would easily inch its way up the priority list of locations to hold a convention.

Below are some of the ideas concerning a convention center, in no particular order:

-Have business expos and tradeshows.

-Have a one-stop business mall and support center inside the convention center.

-Have translators available during the convention.

-Invite top business speakers to speak at the convention center to attract international businesspeople.

-Have local foods available and expose the visitors to local culture.

-Have a spelling bee contest for international students to gather at a central location in the Pacific Rim.

-Facilitate and foster the Korean group already interested in building a convention center.

-Hold beauty pageants for international beauties.

-Have popular Asian stars perform at the convention center to attract more tourists.

-Relax Article 12 and other laws to encourage investors (have specified commercial zones where investors can purchase property to build the convention center.

-Legalize casino gambling to attract investors.

-Get permission to build on the land in American Memorial Park and get federal funds [convince the feds that this is needed to offset the impact on tourism from the federalization of immigration].

-Renovate the dilapidated La Fiesta Mall to include a large convention center.

-Get hotels and other businesses that would benefit most to invest in the convention center.

-Have regional contests such as automotive engine rebuilding.

-Get a national airline to fly people to the CNMI and subsidize junkets.

-Invite people and organizations in the convention center business to explore the possibility on Saipan, and encourage them to build here.

-Have athletic events and clinics that can be held seasonally, such as golf promotions, basketball clinics, mixed martial arts and boxing.

-Promote golf courses as world-class standard courses for people who come for business but also want to golf.

-Hold LPGA professional golf tournaments.

Many of these ideas could be combined so that events are held throughout the year. We only have a few venues that allow larger groups of people to gather together, and they are relatively small when compared to other locations with a convention center. In addition to conventions for off island visitors, the center could be the hub of many activities, such as graduations and community events because it would provide a large meeting area. It would stimulate other business opportunities and increase government revenue.

We are losing untold millions of dollars each year because we are bypassed by thousands of conventioneers, without even realizing it. We recently learned from a reliable source that a major tradeshow organizer was seriously considering Saipan to host a large 570-person tour convention from Korea. However, because we don’t have a venue large enough to handle the stage, displays, and other amenities required by the group, we lost out. With a convention center, we could capitalize on a percentage of the millions of people who spend big dollars at conventions and other events…or we can sit around and just keep complaining about tough times.