MVA, DOLI off to Hong Kong for tourism mission
The Marianas Visitors Authority and the Department of Labor and Immigration will meet with top four outbound tour operators in Hong Kong to explore the possibility of enticing a selected group of Chinese nationals to visit the CNMI.
With its plan to get at least a slice of the huge Chinese market, MVA and DOLI have agreed to take an exploratory tour in Hong Kong and get a first hand information on the situation there.
MVA Chair Dave M. Sablan, Managing Director Perry John Tenorio and DOLI Secretary Mark Zachares are scheduled to leave for the former British colony next week.
So far, Chinese nationals who have traveled to Europe, U.S. and Australia and still with a valid passport will no longer be required to get an ATB (authorization to board) when they come to the Northern Marianas.
“We will first target these people because we do not want to jeopardize the ongoing negotiations with the United States in connection with the Chinese issue,” he said.
MVA will seek the assistance of Continental Micronesia in arranging the meetings with tour operators. Mr. Sablan said he is hoping that the talks would somehow prove to Continental that there is a big market for visiting Chinese in the CNMI and eventually provide direct Hong Kong-Saipan service again.
While this number of Chinese tourists that they can attract may be limited, Mr. Sablan said MVA has to take into consideration the immigration rules in the CNMI, which bar the entry of nationals from the People’s Republic of China.
MVA has been discussing with the Labor and Immigration officials the possibility of allowing Chinese tourists to come here in a move to expand its market base. In exploring such possibility, MVA is waiting for more information on the agreement entered into by some U.S. travel firms with Chinese tour groups.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association is now preparing to tap the huge tourist market in mainland China starting with a sales mission early next year.
During the three-day PATA Micronesia Chapter meeting in Saipan, tourism officials from various islands in the region discussed how to exploit the Chinese outbound market and sell the different destinations in Micronesia.
According to Sharon Hannaford, PATA Pacific Division managing director, Japan will remain the biggest market in Micronesia but it cannot ignore the Chinese market which promises to provide a huge source of visitors for the region.
The CNMI has been trying to tap the Chinese nationals but a recent ban on their entry doused efforts to take a second look at this alternative market. DOLI has suspended indefinitely the issuance of entry permits to PROC citizens after Chinese officials refused to cooperate in accepting the return of its nationals deported from the Commonwealth.
Mr. Sablan has even proposed a set of guidelines to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio in allowing the entry of Chinese nationals which he believe would ensure that they will go home after a short visit.
The beleaguered Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino is also relying on the Chinese market as officials also hope to get direct charter flights to bring the visitors from PROC to the island-municipality of Tinian.
