MVA still upbeat over China market

Although it failed to meet its goal to bring in 50,000 tourists from China in fiscal year 2005, the Marianas Visitors Authority still remains upbeat about the market.

MVA managing director Vicky I. Benavente also clarified that the goal last fiscal year was actually to penetrate the China market.

“We’re not really looking for 50,000. Our goal was to enter the market, which we did because of the Approved Destination Status,” said Benavente in a recent interview.

She said the MVA targets to bring the number in fiscal year 2006.

MVA statistics showed that in FY 2005, the CNMI received 32,441 visitors from mainland China, an 11-percent increase compared with fiscal year 2004.

The Northern Marianas was awarded ADS by the China National Tourism Administration on Dec. 30, 2004.

It officially received permission for organized group tours on April 1, 2005.

Benavente said the CNMI is an exciting new destination, among 92 ADS countries and areas, for Chinese people.

It is also “the closest and safest American destination” for Chinese visitors, and a place where they can obtain visitors entry permits “easily and quickly.”

“We regard China, which has the largest population in the world, as one of the most crucial overseas markets for the CNMI,” Benavente said earlier.

MVA cited that Chinese outbound travelers reached the 28 million mark in 2004.

It is predicted that outbound tourists would reach 100 million by 2020, making it a huge market for the Commonwealth.

To encourage Chinese tourists to visit the CNMI, MVA said it setup a website for China (http://www.mymarianas.com.cn).

The website was reportedly used to host a nationwide competition in May to encourage overseas wedding and honeymoon tourism.

In October this year, MVA co-sponsored the Shanghai Rose Wedding Formality, which was attended by 23 couples.

Over 20 honeymoon couples from Shanghai also came during the occasion.

Likewise, 38 representatives from Asiana Airlines and heads of key travel agents from northern China, including China International Travel Service, China Youth Travel Service, and New China Comfort Travel, Ltd., visited the CNMI to help promote the CNMI as a destination.

In November, the MVA and two ADS-authorized travel agents—Century Tours and Tinian Dynasty Holiday—participated in the China International Travel Mart 2006 in Kunming.

CITM 2006 is reportedly one of the most influential travel trade shows in the Asia Pacific region.