STARTING at 10 a.m. today, Joint Region Marianas representatives will be giving a presentation at the multi-purpose center on the Army Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Program and how businesses can tap into the military market.
Daniel Aquino, the Palacios-Apatang administration’s special assistant for military affairs, told reporters Thursday that the administration had already started its campaign to bring in more military exercises to the CNMI and offer Morale, Welfare and Recreation packages to military personnel and their families.
“The military is always interested in exploring, diving, golfing, anything leisurely and recreational for families. That’s what they’re looking at. We’re trying to get them to visit here from Guam. We’re currently actively pursuing this,” Aquino said.
“For the governor and lt. governor’s part, we’re moving toward the direction of the military as we pivot away from our China [tourism] market. We’re trying to encourage the military to conduct more training exercises here,” Aquino added.
“The forum that’s happening [Tuesday] is a perfect opportunity for businesses to start…prepar[ing] for more military personnel to come here to the CNMI. This presentation is a good opportunity for businesses…to…register…their businesses with the military affairs office, and [obtain] a Systems for Awards Management or SAMS number because the military prioritizes businesses with SAMS numbers,” Aquino said.
He added that an Innovative Readiness Training has been set for July 9 to 22.
“So now is a perfect opportunity for businesses to start registering, to start being prepared for more military personnel coming to the CNMI for training,” Aquino reiterated.
The JRM presentation is an event organized in collaboration with the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs, and the Marianas Visitors Authority.
For his part, Saipan Chamber of Commerce President Joe Guerrero said the possibility of military tourism in the CNMI is good news.
“This is just the start. From my understanding, there are more plans for military spending in the CNMI. Again, these are plans and we’re hoping that the military pushes through with them. This is great news for the CNMI because this is one of the ways [to] diversify…our economy. I think the vision isn’t to replace tourism, but to [have another] industry,” Guerrero said.
“Military personnel [in] Guam often don’t have time to visit their families in the [United] States so they’re opting to bring their families to the Marianas to visit. We’re hoping that these families will consider the CNMI as a place where they can spend their weekends or up to a week,” Guerrero said.
