Previous Story
ADS gives CNMI advantage over Guam
|
Posted on Jan 01 2005
CNMI’s local control of immigration played a major role in China’s granting of Approved Destination Status to the Commonwealth, giving it added advantage over Guam and even Hawaii in attracting Chinese tourists.
“That [ADS] gives us a significant competitive advantage,” said House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes Jr. yesterday.
Guam and Hawaii officials have long applied for designation as “approved destinations” for Chinese tourists, but they have yet to receive a positive response from Beijing.
The delay in ADS application is perceived as China’s reciprocal action to the U.S.’ recent implementation of an immigration policy that subjects foreign visitors, including Chinese travelers, to be photographed and fingerprinted upon entry to the United States.
In fact, the CNMI’s scheduled memorandum of understanding on group tours for Chinese tourists early this year was held off due to the brewing political tension between the U.S. and China over the issue. CNMI authorities said they worked hard for about three years to get the ADS approval.
China’s National Tourism Administration informed Gov. Juan N. Babauta about the ADS approval in late September. Since then, Beijing and CNMI authorities have scheduled the ADS agreement signing a number of times but failed to do so until Wednesday.
Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente said that the CNMI delegation, headed by Gov. Juan N. Babauta, signed the ADS document with Beijing officials at noon on Dec. 30.
The ADS serves as guide for Chinese tourists. They are inclined to travel to ADS destinations more easily as part of pre-organized tour groups.
The CNMI expects to host some 50,000 Chinese tourists in 2005.
The Commonwealth records an average of 500,000 tourist arrivals a year. During the economic boom in the mid 90’s, the figure reached over 700,000.
Guam registers an average of a little over 1 million tourist arrivals a year. Annual visitor arrivals in the U.S. territory reached an average of 1.3 million before the Asian economic crisis.
