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Ad hoc committee for Japan market seeks help on funds
Members of the ad hoc Japan committee of the Marianas Visitors Authority have approached lawmakers to seek funding assistance.
An adhoc committee works with the MVA on a specific source market for tourism. The MVA has different ad hoc committees for Japan, China, Korea, and Russia—all working to bring in tourists from these source markets.
Most of the members of these ad hoc committees are not MVA employees and represent the country they came from.
According to Rep. Joseph “Lee Pan” Guerrero (R-Saipan), members of the ad hoc Japan met with lawmakers Wednesday to discuss funding concerns.
“There were five Japanese citizens (all members of the ad hoc committee) who met with us,” Guerrero, who chairs the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism, said.
He did not name the ad hoc members but disclosed that the group is looking at how to increase funding for its future activities. The funding will come from the MVA, Guerrero said.
The ad hoc Japan committee fund was said to be $300,000 per quarter, and as of the July to September 2014 quarter, $200,000 out of the amount was used up.
The committee now wants the remaining $100,000 fund to be carried over or added to the usual $300,000 quarterly fund for October to December 2014.
However, the fund was not given, Guerrero said.
The lawmaker said he needs to clarify how these funds are given, and if there are letters or agreements between the ad hoc committees and the MVA itself regarding these funds.
He said he will call for a committee meeting, followed by a meeting with the MVA board to discuss the concerns.
Guerrero further said the ad hoc Japan committee also bared projects to attract Japanese tourists, including a marathon to be attended by Japanese celebrities.
He said some 200 to 300 Japanese tourists are expected to attend the event, planned for Aug. 29.
A charter flight from Haneda Airport, which Guerrero said is more convenient for Japanese tourists, is also being planned.
“We see that the Japanese market is going down [in terms of visits]. So we need to support these projects in order to bring back the tourists,” Guerrero said.
