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Mayor: Rota needs more flights

Tuesday, February 09 2010 00:00 By Junhan B. Todeno - Reporter
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ROTA Mayor Melchor A. Mendiola said the island’s major challenge is the lack of air transportation.
“We need to increase the frequency of the airline services from our neighboring islands,” he added.

His administration, he said, is also considering future ferry services from Guam with the impending U.S. military buildup in the region.
Mendiola said Rota has other historical sites that can be developed to establish more tourist attractions.
He also plans to offer variety of water sports activities to visitors.
Rota, he said, “has a beautiful and pristine environment,” which is ideal for ecotourism.
“Our mountain areas are so unique and can provide hiking opportunities that blend with the different scenic opportunities in land and sea,” the mayor said.
Mendiola said  public and private partnership is crucial to the island’s tourism industry.
He encourages members of the community to further develop  botanical gardens, hiking trails, and other areas related to tourism activities.
The future casino industry, he said, will be an added value to the community.
According to Mendiola, they have identified more than 23 tourist sites on Rota.
“The basic attraction of Rota is its God-given natural appearance. The needed improvements are in the areas of safety and accessibility,” he said.












 

Comments 

 
0 #6 Niyok 2010-02-10 04:46 hope Im not late putting my two worthless cents.. again we call upon our leaders on Rota to address the retro pay issue.
 
 
0 #5 captain 2010-02-10 03:37 Airlines, unlike the CNMI, need to make a profit, they cannot operate at a loss for long. If the demand was there there would be the flights. Rota needs to address its harbor facilities. One side is shallow and the other side is not protected, the larger visiting vessels get damaged if and when they can get inside the harbor. Last time I was there there was "private" water activity business operating. Is the Myors office going to compete with private business now. Or did these pull out because of the cost to operate and the scarcity of custmers?..
But Rota is a very beautiful place, and the people are very friendly. (Like Molokai island, Hawaii)
 
 
+3 #4 matanbonelus 2010-02-10 02:15 Ai Mayor before you request for more flights maybe there should be an expressed interest for people to go to Rota. With the price of an airline ticket to go to Rota one might consider one of two things: stay in Saipan or just go ALL DA WAY to Guam.
 
 
0 #3 CNMI Voter 2010-02-09 21:24 PIA got bankrupt, it had nothing to do with 40% capacity! Freedom Air has been doin 40% capacity and they're still running. What did you expect, the haoles chased out the japanese, wasn't it? Then you preach like the locals had anything to do with it when we were just innocent bystanders. If you can't contribute positively, fly back! Casinos are not an issue anymore, the people SPOKE so now act positively to protect the natural resources and people, that's how it becomes an ecotourism!
 
 
0 #2 Q2 2010-02-09 18:39 Casinos are not ecotourism. What you need is a more friendly and less complicated business atmosphere.
 
 
-1 #1 saipan1haole 2010-02-09 18:28 Gee, from the days of P.I.A. people have been wanting to provide more flights to Rota but they need to have assurances that the seats will be filled. Since the Japanese market has chosen to go other places, and japanese participation in resort operations have greatly diminished, this seems unlikely. Guarantee a number of seats will be bought and the airlines will provide service. No one was willing to do that before and it is unlikely to happen now so why should airlines operate at 40% of capacity?
 

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