Results of tourism summit seen today

The local tourism industry expects to see results today of its all-morning discussion yesterday on the Marianas Visitors Authority’s need for additional marketing funds.

Sen. Paul Manglona, one of the elected officials present at the Tourism Summit, committed to arranging a meeting this morning among MVA, the Legislature, and administration officials to discuss MVA’s request for a $2-million supplemental budget.

At the meeting, MVA will provide a breakdown of how it plans to use the $2 million, with an aim to convince the government officials to locate sources for the funding request.

“Give us your budget and hopefully, we can see some kind of solution to this problem. Tourism is not just MVA’s business; we’re in this together,” Manglona said during the summit.

MVA stressed that it needs more money to effectively promote the destination in the CNMI’s markets, particularly in Japan where over 70 percent of the islands’ visitors originate.

MVA chair David Sablan also noted that the government had better put in more of its resources to tourism, especially now that garment companies are downsizing their local operations or pulling out of the Commonwealth.

“The tourism industry will have to substitute the missing link that the garment industry will cause. Without money, however, we’re not going to make it,” Sablan said.

MVA, he added, must be given additional financial support given the extra responsibilities placed on its shoulder recently. He was referring to the opening of new markets such as China, Russia, and the Philippines.

“While responsibility is being added on, the money to do effective promotion is being reduced. Sometimes I wonder whether or not government has full faith in the MVA board of directors or if they just don’t want to give us any more money to do an effective job,” Sablan said.

MVA marketing manager Wayne Pangelinan and MVA-Japan managing director Michael D. Merner made presentations on the overall status of the CNMI tourism industry and the Japan market during the meeting.

For their part, tourism industry players such as Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands Lynn Knight, Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Carlos Salas, businessman Bob Jones, and Hyatt Regency Saipan marketing manager Ken Kaku offered comments and suggestions.

Aside from Manglona, the elected officials present at the meeting were Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, Senator Diego Songao, and Saipan Rep. Ramon Tebuteb.