By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE Marianas Visitors Authority board of directors has approved a one-year, $450,000 sole-source contract for promotional and marketing initiatives in China and Hong Kong to boost visitor arrivals.
Century Tours and L&T Travel —two established island charter operators — will implement the campaigns. Both companies submitted detailed proposals outlining outreach activities that include large-scale online advertising, media partnerships, and influencer-driven content designed to stimulate demand and fill seats on scheduled charter flights into Saipan, according to MVA Managing Director Jamika Taijeron.
“None of these funds go directly to Century Tours or L&T Travel. It is strictly for marketing and promotional efforts with different media,” Taijeron said.
The initiative comes as Hong Kong Airlines prepares to double its flight frequency to Saipan, from two to four flights a week, beginning in May 2026.
“We have two flights weekly from Hong Kong Airlines and, as announced earlier, it’s going to go up to four times a week in May,” Taijeron said.
Board members emphasized the need to “ride the momentum” to further build the market, noting that air traffic capacity and sustained marketing are key to driving new visitor inflow.
The $450,000 allocation is part of a broader $500,000 budget dedicated to China–Hong Kong market engagement this cycle. The remaining $50,000 will be reserved for ad hoc or emerging promotional opportunities.
Century Tours and L&T Travel will provide reporting, analytics, and performance measurement. “We’re going to be getting reports from them on all the elements indicated in the scope and budgeting this amount for $450,000,” MVA Board Chair Warren Villagomez said.
MVA estimated the marketing value of the investment at $27 to $33 per seat.
Board members present at the Wednesday meeting included Ivan Quichocho, Joe Guerrero, Dennis Seo, Sachiko Gerrard, Dwayne Maratita, Chris Nelson, and Marvin Deleon Guerrero, who joined online. Quichocho, an executive with the L&T Group of Companies, recused himself from voting on the initiative.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
