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MVA board OKs continued funding for Happy Children
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Posted on Nov 27 2006
The Marianas Visitors Authority board decided yesterday to go ahead with the agency’s summer promo for child tourists called the “Happy Children in Paradise” program.
MVA executive director Perry P. Tenorio said the board kept the $60,000 funding for the summer campaign.
“It’s for the collateral, to buy giveaway items for visiting children,” said Tenorio.
Launched over four years ago, the promotional program—geared toward the family market—offers children a chance to get a Saipanda doll and other special Saipanda memorabilia.
Eligible to receive the gift items are children 12 years old and below upon their arrival at the airport.
MVA said that during its first implementation from June to September 2001, the CNMI played host to more than 12,500 children from Japan alone. The next year, it recorded 16,504 children who took part in the program.
Aside from the Saipanda bag of goodies, child tourists also get special attention from hotels during their stay. Hotels usually come up with fun activities, including arts and crafts for visiting children.
Earlier this year, the MVA management listed the funding for the promotional program as among those to be cut amid a call from the government for austerity measures.
The new MVA board reconsidered it last April, saying that marketing should not be sacrificed if the CNMI wants to see a revived tourism industry.
As it is, the board cited that the MVA is already outspent several times over in advertising by its counterparts in Guam and Hawaii.
To improve its standing a little, the MVA asked for an $11.3 million budget for fiscal year 2007, including a $4-million funding for advertising. Its request was denied in the latest budget approval.
Under the fiscal year 2007 budget, MVA will only get a total of $6.5 million: $1.7 million for personnel, $4.8 million for operations, and $23,680 for utilities.
The MVA used to receive a net budget of $6 million a year.
