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HANMI donates $1K to MTEC
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Posted on May 27 2012
As it marks its tenth anniversary this year, the Marianas Tourism Education Council wants improved participation among the youth in their efforts to heighten community awareness on the importance of the tourism industry in the Commonwealth, said council chair Vicky Benavente.
MTEC aims to foster and improve community understanding and support for the visitor industry; educate the public, especially students, about the value, social benefits and economic contributions made to the community by the tourism industry; and to instill, improve, and promote the “Hafa Adai” hospitality spirit throughout the CNMI.
The nonprofit group involves students through the formation of Marianas Youth Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically Club or MY WAVE Clubs to instill in them the awarness that “Tourism is Everybody’s Business.”
Benavente explained how MTEC intends to increase the level of participation among the islands’ youth in the MY WAVE initiative.
“We have about eight MY WAVE Clubs right now and we’d like to increase it to 30 because we have about that number of public and private schools in the community,” she told Saipan Tribune at the last night of the 14th Annual Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival and Beer Garden.
According to Benavente, more involvement among students translates to less misunderstanding on the value of the islands’ hospitality industry.
“Tourism is very important,” she emphasized.
Last Saturday, Benavente received on behalf of MTEC a donation from the Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands. HANMI’s B.K. Park presented the $1,000 check.
Park said their group believes that the donation will be used wisely as it will support MTEC’s efforts to engage the students in improving the Commonwealth’s main industry.
“They’re supporting us and we’re supporting them,” he added.
Benavente, for her part, said they are grateful to HANMI for the donation, which will be used to sustain the youth’s participation in MTEC programs through the MY WAVE Clubs.
