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38 visiting Chinese couples to wed in CNMI
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Posted on May 22 2005
Thirty-eight couples from Shanghai are expected to exchange marriage vows on Saipan in October this year.
Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Vicky Benavente said the couples would participate in this year’s Wedding Tour, which is organized by Century Tours.
In a May 18 letter to Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Benavente requested the governor to attend the group wedding ceremony.
She said the event is part of the China market promotions.
“In our efforts to capture potential visitor awareness from China market and to stimulate travel to the Northern Mariana Islands, the MVA will be assisting (with the Wedding Tour),” said Benavente.
She cited that weddings in China are becoming more and more popular.
Last year alone, she said, Chinese people spent some $30 billion on wedding ceremonies.
The average cost of a wedding in Shanghai is $15,000, she said.
“The booming and thriving wedding market has attracted wedding operators all over the world,” said Benavente.
The MVA official also asked the Governor’s Office to assist in the issuance of marriage certificates during the event.
MVA had earlier introduced “Marriage in Marianas” campaign mainly for Japanese couples wanting to get married on the island.
The MVA helped provided wedding service companies with compact discs containing local songs and congratulatory messages of Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, giveaways and store discount cards.
It was part of the overall efforts to promote the CNMI as one of the favorite wedding destinations in the world.
More than 1,900 tourists reportedly wed in the Northern Marianas in a year.
