Gov. Arnold I. Palacios signs a proclamation declaring May as Marianas Tourism Month while Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang looks on in the governor’s conference room on Capital Hill on Tuesday.
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang pose for a photo with Marianas Visitors Authority officials, lawmakers and students of Saipan Southern High School after proclaiming May 2024 as Marianas Tourism Month at the administration building on Capital Hill, Tuesday.
GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang on Tuesday proclaimed May as Marianas Tourism Month.
Joining them were Marianas Visitors Authority Board Vice Chairwoman Jamika Taijeron, Director Sachiko Gerrard, Managing Director Christopher Concepcion, Deputy Managing Director Judy Torres and Community Projects Manager Martin Duenas.
Students of Saipan Southern High School took turns in reading the proclamation.
Also present were Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, House Floor Leader Edwin Propst, Rep. Julie Marie Ogo, Rep. Denita Yangetmai, Senate Floor Leader Corina Magofna, Special Assistant for Administration Oscar M. Babauta and Saipan Mayor Ramon Blas “RB” Camacho.
The governor said, “It’s a good day to proclaim Tourism Month. Unfortunately, the irony that has unfolded in the last 24 hours is something that is unfortunate,” he added. “It is sad that we have an iconic brand that is leaving our shores,” referring to the Hyatt Regency Saipan, which announced Monday that it was shutting down on June 30.
The governor said he doesn’t want to “discount the enormity of the situation, but we are resilient as a people and I don’t want to see that event dampen the spirit of Marianas Tourism Month.”
“So I want to thank all the staff of MVA, the board of directors who continue to serve and the many businesses that continue to be involved in the tourism industry. I look forward to all the events, such as the Taste of the Marianas, and I encourage everyone to be present and show our support to our industry,” Palacios said.
For his part, Concepcion reiterated that “tourism is everybody’s business.”
Tourism Month, he said, is for everybody in the community as he shared the good news about Hong Kong Airlines’ first flight to Saipan since the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said Hong Kong Airlines officials have indicated that they may add more flights to the island “so we are very hopeful on that front.”
He said the CNMI is receiving almost the same number of visitors from South Korea before the pandemic “so we are doing 100% recovery for the Korea market. That’s great news.”
He added, however, that CNMI tourism is still not at its pre-pandemic level.
“We still have less than half the total number of arrivals than we had before the pandemic,” he said. He urged everyone to “listen carefully to the proclamation and consider how best that you, your business, your family, your government agency, your school, your non-profit organization can contribute to strengthening our tourism economy. So together, we can make the CNMI the best place to live in the world, and to do business and visit.”
According to the proclamation, although flights from South Korea “are robust,” airline capacity is lower today compared to the pre-pandemic level, with only two direct weekly flights from Hong Kong and three direct weekly flights from Japan.
