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Over $400K in incentives OK’d for TRIP extension
The CNMI Department of Finance has approved the appropriation of over $400,000 to the Marianas Visitors Authority that will go toward incentives for tourists under the TRIP program that has now been extended to February.
During an MVA board meeting yesterday, MVA board chair Viola Alepuyo announced that Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig has confirmed the allocation of $475,000 to MVA that will go toward travel bucks and polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests to further entice tourists to come to Saipan in an attempt to sustain the revival of its tourism sector.
However, in order for tourists to avail of these incentives funded through local funds, interested passengers must book their trip to Saipan in groups as this is strictly available only as part of a group package.
Currently, the CNMI’s travel bucks incentive remains at $100 per passenger. In addition, the program will also provide free COVID-19 PCR tests for fully vaccinated tourists before their flights home.
In related news, the board has extended the TRIP program, or Tourism Resumption Incentive Program, to February since South Korean airlines that have been servicing the program, specifically Jeju Airlines and T’Way Airlines, have suspended flights for the rest of January.
MVA managing director Priscilla Iakopo noted that Asiana has been the only carrier that has continued to accommodate the program with one flight a week, bringing in roughly 1,200 tourists in January.
The hope is that once February hits, the CNMI will see an influx of TRIP tourists with all three airlines expected to resume their regular scheduled flights.
“For the month of January, since its only Asiana flying, they’re overbooked and have already reached their 70% capacity. Moving on to February, we’re expecting to have all the airlines back,” Iakopo said.
In a previous article on Saipan Tribune, T’way Air decided earlier this month to suspend its two flights a week schedule until Jan. 28.
Since Jan. 12, Jeju air ceased its Busan–Saipan route.
