Cepeda: Return ‘cultural face’ to hospitality biz

Bring out the local people to the front line, put back the “cultural face” of the local community, especially in the hospitality sector, and let the tourists feel that they are truly in the Northern Marianas.

This way, the CNMI will be able to provide a more authentic tourist experience to the islands’ visitors, according to Saipan Chamber Commerce president Charles V. Cepeda in his prepared speech that was read by Chamber vice president Alex Sablan in Thursday’s first annual workforce development summit on Saipan.

“The main thing I want to suggest…is bringing back the cultural ‘face’ of our community, especially in the hospitality sector. …When I travel to Korea or to China or to the Philippines, I am greeted by their local people at the airport, in the taxi, at the hotel, and in the restaurant. I know that I am in Korea, or China, or the Philippines. But when tourists come to Saipan, they often see and interact with very few Chamorros or Carolineans in the hospitality trade,” said Cepeda.

He said it would be “a great benefit employing more locals in the workforce.”

He said one of the Commonwealth’s best resource are its “people, its traditions, and its heritage of warmth and friendliness.”

“This is what we can offer to our tourists—the unique opportunity to become acquainted with a Micronesian culture. But they can only do that if local people are employed in front-line tourist employment,” he said.

But just putting local people on the forefront is not enough. They need to be trained on etiquette, in public relations, and hospitality to be effective.

In his remarks, Cepeda cited the need for the lone community college, Northern Marianas College, to offer “a first-class, comprehensive hospitality training program.”

“We need well-trained islanders to assure that tourists and other visitors have a first-class, island experience from the moment they step off their plane. We need staff who always greet visitors with warm smiles, who extend our natural friendliness on a regular basis, and who are mindful of the customs and expectations of other nationalities and can make people of all nationalities feel at home here,” said the Chamber president.

Cepeda said that to be more effective, it is important that islanders are able to communicate with visitors from the major markets: Japan, South Korea, China, and Russia.

He suggested that foreign languages be taught early on, preferably in elementary schools, and continued throughout middle school and high school.

“Saipan is at the crossroads between North America and Asia. To capitalize on this exceptional position, we must be prepared to converse with all visitors, whether they come as tourists or as investors,” he said.

He also encouraged NMC to teach students about real real-life issues and skills.

He said NMC can tap business class instructors from the business sector—“experienced business people who can bring their first-hand experiences into the classroom.”

During Thursday’s summit, NMC-Small Business Development Center director Eric Plinske presented a survey showing that “work ethics” is the prevailing reason why some CNMI employers do not hire more resident workers.

In the survey, 42 percent of 229 employers said work ethics is “the biggest obstacle to employing more residents in the private sector.” The respondents also cited a lack of skills and education.

Further, over 33 percent of 230 respondents said that their existing employees need more training on customer service skills.

The surveyed CNMI employers said they have a great need for the following job classifications: accountant/bookkeeper, 45 percent; supervisory/managerial, 37 percent; customer service, 33 percent; skilled workers, 33 percent; sales and marketing, 31 percent; clerical/administrative, 30 percent; information technology, 30 percent; retail clerk/cashier, 25 percent; and communications, 20 percent.