Gordon Marciano, director of Pacific Development Inc., said in his letter that tour agents will continue to work diligently to convince other destinations that all operations are not affected despite the ongoing “tension” over the budget between the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“Vendors in Japan, Korea and other destinations will continue to question if we can be financially trusted in the promotion and marketing strategies we compete in,” Marciano said.
“Soon, these countries will lose the confidence in us to invest in the competing markets due to negligence to close the programs we have worked so hard to market and promote,” he added, referring to the government shutdown caused by the lawmakers’ failure to pass a budget.
Marciano said after spending so much investment in promotion, seeing the programs closed down will create a very bad image for the CNMI.
He said the PDI team is calling on the Legislature to keep the trust of local and off-island vendors.
“I am appealing on the Legislature to please let the office which represents our only industry in our islands continue to operate. The [Marianas Visitors Authority] plays a vital role in ensuring smooth operation for all those that are in the tourism industry,” Marciano said.
He said the calendared programs under MVA must carry on its campaign — this includes festivals as well as sports and outreach community programs such as the street market, Taste of Marianas, Christmas in the Marianas and other activities.
“It is somewhat ironic that we all agree that tourism is the only industry and then in turn close its doors, due to the austerity we are faced with. I appeal to you all, to please consider always having MVA’s door open to the tourism world. By doing so the tourism industry will carry on its trust in the CNMI,” Marciano said.
He also urged the members of the Legislature not to put the blame on MVA for the downturn in visitor arrivals.
MVA’s job “is to promote what the tour agents, hotels and restaurants are producing to market. MVA is doing an excellent job in supporting all vendors,” Marciano said.
He said everybody needs to understand that the world economy is really bad and what is happening with the CNMI has nothing to do with MVA, or even land alienation issues.
Marciano is also calling on the community to work with MVA and continue to help keep the islands clean.
“Together, we can continue to move the only industry we have,” he said.
“We have lost the garment industry. We will not allow it to happen to the tourism industry by supporting our tourism vendors. It is the only one we have now,” Marciano said.
PDI has been involved in the tourism industry for almost four decades, “giving quality service and extending warm hospitality to millions of tourists who have visited the CNMI.”
