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‘VEP processing for Chinese tourists exclusive to two companies for now’
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Posted on Mar 02 2005
Only two travel agencies will be authorized for now to process visitor entry permits for Chinese tourists, the Attorney General’s Office maintained yesterday.
Assistant attorney general Eric O’Malley said this policy comes pursuant to the memorandum of understanding that the CNMI government signed with the China National Tourism Administration on the facilitation of group travel by Chinese tourists.
“We are trying to attract Chinese tourists and we’re trying to do this is prudent and cautious manner,” O’Malley said in response to a clamor among travel agencies wishing to be allowed to process VEPs for Chinese tourists.
The Approved Destination Status agreement between China and the CNMI allows only the Shanghai-based Century Tours and the Guangdong-based Foshan Tinian Travel Agency to assist in VEP processing for the CNMI Immigration Department.
In the Commonwealth, the only two tour operators allowed to service Chinese tourists are Saipan Travel Inc. and Century Tours.
O’Malley said he could not say when the restriction, which was put in place for security reasons, will be lifted.
A number of airline and tour companies have expressed disappointment that they are not allowed to process VEPs for Chinese travelers.
Air China, for one, said it hopes all tour operators could file VEP applications directly to the CNMI Division of Immigration “to avoid unfair competition.” The airline canceled five Saipan-bound charter flights from Beijing last month after its tour operator had difficulty obtaining visitor entry permits for the passengers.
Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Vicky I. Benavente said representatives from the AGO will be meeting with members of the MVA marketing committee on Friday to discuss VEP regulations.
