This year, he said he will sign such an agreement with the officials of Taebaek City in South Korea.
“They want their students to come here for educational and cultural visit,” he added.
Flores said he will ask the Legislature for financial support to “intensify” the cultural exchange programs between Saipan and other Asian countries.
The expenses that be will incurred will help stimulate the economy, he said, adding that visitors will spend their money in local hotels, restaurants and other establishments.
In Japan, he said, cities are provided with funding for school cultural exchange programs.
Flores said there should be at least four cultural events held every month to create more economic activities on island.
“I am mandated to lure tourists too,” he said.
He noted that the Marianas Visitors Authority has spent millions of dollars to market the CNMI in other countries.
He believes that subsidizing cultural exchange programs will also help promote the commonwealth as a tourist destination.
Not only cultural exchange students but their parents, too, also come to Saipan, the mayor said.
And these students will keep coming to the island, he added.
The mayor said the CNMI should also try to bring in more senior tourists and allow them to interact with the manamko’.
The Aging Office, he added, can initiate a cultural exchange program to invite older citizens from Japan and Korea.
Flores recently visited the Japanese cities of Kyoto, Nagano and Nantan for the Sanpo-en cultural exchange program.
