MVA plans road safety for tourists

Due to increased pedestrian accidents, the CNMI government plans to install more lights and easily identified crosswalk areas to allow drivers to immediately recognize visitors whenever they want to cross the street, according to Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio.

The safety of tourists has been one of the main concerns of MVA over the years to ensure visitors that they made the right decision when they choose to visit the CNMI.

While the some people see the absence of street names a charming aspect of island living, Tenorio said MVA believes this can cause more problems for visitors and local people. To ensure the visitors safety, the Saipan Mayor’s Office is coordinating the street naming task force.

Tenorio has earlier assured travel professionals and media representatives from Japan that the Northern Marianas is a safe destination for tourists as CNMI officials continue to create and maintain better facilities.

While the island has been severely battered by Asia’s financial crisis, the future of tourism in the commonwealth remains bright, he said. Only three hours away from Japan, the island will remain an attractive destination for Japanese travelers because of its tropical climate and crystal clear waters.

On the infrastructure side, the Office of the Governor has given importance to the completion of beach road pathway so that visitors are given the chance to enjoy a stroll without worrying about vehicular accidents.

All major hotels have self contained water distillation systems and power generators that would allow guests to enjoy their stay.

Furthermore, the Commonwealth Ports Authority has continuously carried out improvements in airports on Saipan, Tinian and Rota as well as Saipan Harbor to accommodate more visitors.

The ports authority has recently received funding from the Federal Aviation Administration to improve the West Tinian Airport in support of the tourism industry on the island.

MVA is selling the island of Tinian as the “Las Vegas in the Pacific” as several interested investors have offered to create large scale gaming resort facilities catering to this niche market. On the other hand, MVA wants to attract families on Saipan island in its promotional campaign.

With the hiring of Tokyo-based advertising company Dentsu 10, MVA is hoping to get back its lost market share in Japan. Japanese travelers accounted for 75 percent of the total visitor arrivals of 526,298 in 1998.