Saipan City Taxi Association founder/organizer Rabby Syed said they have submitted proposals last year to be included in the www.mymarianas.com website along with all the other tourist-related industries in the CNMI, but they have not received any feedback yet.
“If the taxi industry is included in the official website, tourists will have an idea of how much they are going to spend to get from one place to another, and they can have easy access on how and where to call when they need taxi services,” Syed said.
Including the taxi hotline will also be helpful for tourists so they can air complaints if they feel they are being cheated by taxi drivers, he added.
“This is helpful because it would not be good promotion if tourists leave the CNMI feeling that they had been cheated by taxi drivers,” Syed said.
With tourism industry left as the only component of the island’s economy, Syed said it is vital that all stakeholders help each other.
“Every industry should be treated as equal because we all share the common goal of helping attract more tourists to come here to spur the economic downturn,” Syed said.
MVA should act as a bridge to connect all the stakeholders together, he added.
“Lack of manpower or budget constraints is not an issue here, but it is in how MVA plans and initiate its programs to spur tourism,” he said.
MVA’s official website, www.mymarianas.com contains links to hotels, attractions, restaurants, golf and its member businesses. Variety had yet to receive a reply to its e-mail to MVA.
