Marianas Tourism Month celebration in May

In celebration of May Tourism Month, the Marianas Visitors Authority has organized a series of community events to celebrate and support the primary economic driver of the Marianas.

“More than ever, we see the importance of tourism in our community and its value in providing benefits to our people, our government, our businesses, and our community,” said MVA acting managing director Judy C. Torres. “We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the industry during May Tourism Month as we continue to work collectively toward the recovery of tourism and toward our ongoing goal to become a preferred travel destination in the world.”

A proclamation signing ceremony declaring May as Tourism Month will be held on May 3, 2023, at 2pm at the Office of the Governor.

The MVA is also holding a Facebook photo contest “Capture the Beauty of The Marianas.” Participants must post their favorite photo of Saipan, Tinian, or Rota between May 1 and May 24, 2023, at 11:59pm ChST and use the hashtags #MyMarianas, #TheMarianas, #CapturetheBeautyof TheMarianas2023, #VistTheMarianas, and either #Saipan, #Tinian, or #Rota to indicate where the photo was taken. Photos must feature Marianas attractions, such as historical or cultural sites, beaches, or others. Winners will be announced on May 31, 2023, via the MVA Facebook page @VistTheMarianas.

On May 19, the MVA will host its annual Youth Familiarization Tour field trip on Tinian for 3rd graders. As “Tourists for a Day,” students will learn about the significance of historic Tinian sites and the importance of site preservation. A similar event will be held on May 25 for tourism partners on Tinian who are front-line workers in the industry, including employees of tour companies, car rentals, hotels, restaurants, and government.

The Marianas Tourism Month 5K Fun Run will be held on May 20, 2023, at 7am from Garapan Fishing Base south on the Saipan Beach Pathway to Quartermaster Road and back. Online registration will open shortly and is $10. Cash prizes will be awarded for the best tourist costume and top three male and female finishers. All proceeds will benefit a charitable nonprofit organization.

Island beautification also remains a priority for Marianas Tourism Month. On May 20 students of the Yap Club and Student Council at Dr. Rita S. Inos Jr./Sr. High School on Rota will work with the MVA to paint the restroom facility at I’Chenchon Bird Sanctuary. On May 27 the Beautify My Marianas Cleanup will be held in various locations around Saipan. The general public is invited to meet at 8am at American Memorial Park to clean in downtown Garapan, while school MY WAVE Clubs will clean at designated beaches around the island. On Tinian, Operation Cleanup will be held on May 30-31, targeting tourist sites in southern Tinian that were abandoned after recent typhoons or during the pandemic, with exploration of potential new visitor sites.

The public will have the chance to win Tourism Month T-shirts and gift cards throughout the month by correctly answering tourism-related trivia questions on radio station Power 99 (97.5 FM) and Magic 100 (100.3 FM).

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/VisitTheMarianas or contact MVA community projects specialist Jack Aranda at (670) 664-3200/1 or communityprojects@mymarianas.com. (MVA)