“Tourists from Russia are the museum’s best visitors. They don’t cringe when they see the signboard for the entrance fee, and they buy tons of stuff from the gift shop,” Hunter said.
Russian tourists buy videos, crafts and other souvenir items from the museum.
“They are always looking for products made on Saipan,” Hunter said.
Several Russian tourists have been visiting museum during the last couple of months.
Under the federalization law, however, Russian and Chinese tourists will not be included in the visa waiver program that takes effect on June 1.
The museum charges a $2 entrance fee and according to Hunter, “we often see tourists who turn their backs and go away when they see the entrance fee sign at the door, and this happens everyday.”
Russians are the museum’s only generous visitors these days, he added.
“Unless the Legislature implements measures that will require tour operators to make the museum and other historical sites of the island a part of the tour packages, we will continue to struggle with our limited finances in order to keep our doors open,” Hunter said.
The museum needs at least $225,000 a year for its daily operations, but gets an annual budget of $110,000 only.
