HANMI reiterates need for tourism master plan

The Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands has asked the Marianas Visitors Authority to consider drafting a long-term tourism master plan that will help guide tourism officials in marketing the CNMI abroad.

HANMI vice president Mustafa Issa has expressed interest in participating in long-term planning by MVA. Tourism officials offered HANMI the opportunity to sit down and review its calendar of annual activities in order to help decide which projects should continue and additional activities the agency should engage in.

MVA Board Chair Dave M. Sablan said it is very difficult for the tourism office to make any long-term plan because government funding is only made available every year.

In a two-hour meeting held Tuesday, MVA and HANMI pledged to work together to achieve their common goal of effectively promoting the Northern Marianas as an ideal destination in the Pacific.

HANMI even suggested the possibility of MVA assisting the hotel association in chartering an airline to increase direct service from an Asian destination to Saipan.

In response to criticisms that MVA has failed to support the hotel group in lobbying for the passage of proposed measures that will help the tourism industry, Mr. Sablan said MVA has assigned board member JM Guerrero to take charge of bills affecting the island’s main economy.

“We welcome them to look at all the programs that we have and make suggestions so that we can accommodate them ,” he added.

During the luncheon meeting, Mr. Issa recommended that the CNMI adopt an incentive program that will allow tourists to earn credits for buying certain items, visiting a tourist attraction or participating in various activities. The visitor may redeem the corresponding prize for credits earned at the end of the year.

If MVA funds could not be made available for such a proposal, tourism officials would be willing to help endorse such project for possible funding by the Commonwealth Development Authority.

In improving the destination, MVA told hotel executives that the tourism office has proposed to the Legislature the improvement of 135 tourist sites in Saipan, Rota and Tinian amounting to $8 million.

MVA has lobbied for additional money with the House Ways and Means Committee since a big chunk of its budget has been set aside for the promotion of the destination abroad.