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MVA earmarks $250K for Rota charter flights
The Marianas Visitors Authority has allocated $250,000 to Rota so it could improve its chances in the charter flight business.
“MVA has been working with the Rota Mayor’s Office and the Legislature on possible charter flights direct to Rota,” said MVA managing director Chris Concepcion. “We would like to make these flights successful if it’s going to happen this year.”
Concepcion said the money will be used to promote the flights and develop the destination.
“Of course nothing is confirmed yet but we kind of need to reserve the funds…. Gov. Torres’ message is to encourage MVA to continue to use funds to promote travel to Tinian and Rota. This is also the language that the Legislature is using to ask,” Concepcion said.
“The $250,000 allotted budget will not go directly to the mayor of Rota. It will be MVA funding to use to support programs either through incentives or direct promotions in China, Japan, and Korea,” he added.
MVA board member Chris Nelson suggested that MVA study and evaluate the charter flight program to see whether it makes sense in just pushing the money over.
“MVA is working with the Century Tours group, who is the first one to express interest. We will definitely study and see what we can work out with them under our MVA China office,” Concepcion said.
MVA board chair Gloria Cavanagh said that Rota currently does not have a representative on the MVA.
“And if they did I’m sure they would basically state that they need help as far as their economy is concerned. This is a chance for Rota, that Century Tours has been doing a lot of work there over the last year to try to promote and establish eco-tourism and bring some sort of tourism back to Rota,” she said.
Concepcion said that MVA will wait until they get a plan about the charter program.
“We will have the funds set aside and we will wait for the marketing plans that they will provide through our China office. We will give it to the board for review and have that approved when the time is ready,” he added.
