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MVA eyes single concessionaire for beaches
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Posted on Jan 05 1999
The Marianas Visitors Authority will no longer renew the licenses of five vendors operating on Saipan’s beaches but will instead issue a request for proposal to allow only one concession to operate in the area amid the downtrend in tourist arrivals.
According to Jack Diaz, community programs coordinator, this is one of the solutions being considered by the tourism office to solve various complaints lodged by hotels against vendors who allegedly harass tourists.
As tourist arrivals continue to decline, MVA noted the need to allow only one business to operate as competition among beach vendors who operate jet skis and banana boats has become stiff due to limited customers.
At the same time, MVA is still trying to work out a joint regulation with the Marianas Public Land Corp. to ensure smooth enforcement and avoid confusion in the implementation.
The vendors located behind Diamond , Dai-Ichi and Niko hotels used to enjoy profitable operation but later on suffered as a result of the drastic plunge in arrivals.
In a related development, MVA has carried out a beach clean-up last year to prepare the island for the expected influx of tourists this year with the launching of Visit the Marianas ’99 Campaign.
The Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands has complained about the pollution of waters on the beach brought about by sewage leaks and runoff during rainy season.
At the same time, the failure of the CNMI government to close Puerto Rico dump has also contributed to the pollution of waters in Saipan lagoon. Hotel operators have sought the immediate resolution of pollution on the beaches because this may trigger filing of lawsuits by hotel guests if they are not properly warned.
