MTEC: Where do most of our visitors come from?
For correctly identifying “Beautify My Marianas” as the Marianas Visitors Authority program offering cash for island cleanups, Jacob Mareham of William S. Reyes Elementary School wins a Saipan-da backpack as part of a presentation by the Marianas Tourism Education Council on Nov. 7, 2014. (MTEC)
Which country do most of our visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands come from? On average, visitors from which country stay the longest and spend the most? What is the No. 1 reason visitors come to the islands?
Local elementary schools students are answering those tourism industry questions and more with resounding success, thanks to the continuing education presentations being made by the Marianas Tourism Education Council. So far this school year, MTEC has visited eight schools on Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
“Our message remains ‘Tourism is Everybody’s Business,’ and the students are starting to catch on,” said MTEC chair Vicky Benavente. “For the elementary level, our secondary message is the importance of being friendly and keeping our islands clean and beautiful through MY WAVE [Marianas Youth Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically] Club activities and Beautify My Marianas.”
MTEC also uses the opportunity to get students thinking about jobs in the tourism industry, such as wait staff, culinary, transportation, administrative, tour guides, and more. MTEC aims to visit all public schools this school year.
So, which country do most of the visitors to the NMI come from? China. On average, visitors from which country stay the longest and spend the most, on average? Russia. What is the No. 1 reason visitors come to the islands? Nature. (MTEC)
