Kilili: Getting tourism industry up is key to CNMI’s economy

Getting the CNMI tourism industry back up and running after the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic and repeated super typhoons that hit the CNMI is key to the revival of the Marianas’ economy, according to Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) over the weekend.

Sablan disclosed in his e-kilili newsletter that members of the Hotel Association of the NMI and their partners at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce briefed him at his office on Saipan last Tuesday on their progress toward that goal.

Sablan said he brought them up to date on Republican efforts in the U.S. Congress to kill the discretionary parole program that has allowed Chinese tourists to enter the Marianas without a tourist visa.

Some members of the U.S. Congress wrote U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last Nov. 30 to ask DHS to revoke the discretionary parole program. Four U.S. senators and 28 U.S. House members signed the letter.

The U.S. lawmakers expressed concern that the policy “made the islands vulnerable to a plethora of problems, including drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and organized crime” and urged that visitors from China be required to obtain first a B-1 or B-2 visa in China that would allow them to enter the Marianas.

Sablan also shared with HANMI and Chamber officials his recent letter to Mayorkas supporting using the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program as a more secure alternative for that purpose.

Sablan urged Mayorkas in his letter to move forward on the rule-making process for the CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program for Chinese tourists.

Sablan said the CNMI EVS-TAP could further the Commonwealth’s goal to work with him and DHS to ensure the integrity of U.S. borders—no matter where tourists or other arrivals to the islands come from.

The proposed EVS-TAP will allow prescreened People’s Republic of China nationals to travel to the CNMI without a visa under specific conditions.

The EVS-TAP was one of the recommendations of the 902 Consultation special representatives of then-President Donald Trump and then-CNMI governor Ralph DLG. Torres on May 15, 2019, as a subprogram of the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program.

HANMI and the Chamber recently urged CNMI government leaders to back the proposed EVS-TAP, as this, according to the groups, will address concerns about the discretionary parole program. The Marianas Visitors Authority and the Commonwealth Ports Authority have underscored the need to get back the Chinese tourists to revitalize CNMI’s tourism/economy.

Last week, the CNMI Senate adopted a joint resolution authored by Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider (R-Tinian) to request Gov. Arnold I. Palacios to advocate for the promulgation of the EVS-TAP for Chinese tourists.

The CNMI House of Representatives is expected to discuss the Senate joint resolution during their session tomorrow, Wednesday.