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May proclaimed as Tourism Month
Acting governor Victor B. Hocog joins Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Christopher Concepcion and other tourism stakeholders after signing a proclamation designating May 2017 as CNMI Tourism Month last Thursday at the Governor’s Office conference room on Capitol Hill. (Contributed Photo)
Acting governor Victor B. Hocog signed a proclamation Thursday designating May 2017 as CNMI Tourism Month as the islands have been experiencing a boom in tourism and setting new records to date.
To increase recognition of the CNMI, the Marianas Visitors Authority adopted a new brand name for Saipan, Tinian, Rota and the Northern Marianas to be collectively called as “The Marianas” while using the motto “ Tourism is Everybody’s Business” in recognition of the benefits of tourism.
The Marianas tourism industry was propelled by Japanese nationals as World War II memorial visitors in the 1970s. Today, the composition of visitors to the islands’ shores is diverse.
A survey in 2016 showed that 41 percent of visitors came from China, followed by Koreans at 40 percent, the Japanese at 12 percent, and the rest from other countries.
In the same year, 501,498 visitors came to The Marianas contributing an estimated $450 million in direct impact and $675 million in indirect impact to the economy and an estimated $101 million in taxes.
Hotel occupancy continues to soar and reach record high levels. Early this year, the MVA attracted the prestigious Ironman brand, an international triathlon event were athletes from different countries competed creating another tourism mileage for The Marianas.
As tourism grows so are the laws on immigration. The improvement of immigration processing time at the Francisco C. Ada-Saipan International Airport to upgrade existing accommodations and funding for quality improvement throughout the islands are of immediate concern.
The growth of tourism in The Marianas has created economic prosperity, international trade, cross cultural understanding, and a good quality of life for the people.
Meanwhile, the CNMI will not only give significance to the influx of visitors because as the MVA motto “Tourism is Everybody’s Business” suggests, the responsibility of keeping and maintaining the beauty and tranquility of the islands still rests upon the people and communities around The Marianas and that is the purpose of May 2017 CNMI Tourism Month, is to unite everyone—residents and visitors—to actively celebrate beauty of The Marianas.
