AMID the slow recovery of the tourism industry, Marianas Tourism Education Council or MTEC acting Chairwoman Vicky Benavente said, “We will keep promoting CNMI.”
Marianas Tourism Education Council acting Chairwoman Vicky Benavente poses for a photo during the MTEC Tourism Summit at Kensington Hotel on Thursday.
She noted that the Marianas Visitors Authority is doing its best to market the destination.
“But if you look at the global events, especially with the pandemic, because of the coronavirus, travelers are still not really coming back to pre-pandemic numbers,” she added.
“But we’re still going to keep promoting — nothing will stop us from promoting, as the [MTEC summit] speakers told the students, it’s up to them to promote the islands, to put them on Instagram, Facebook, put them wherever you can, call your family, Zoom with your friends. Saipan, Tinian, and Rota are the most beautiful places in the world,” Benavente said.
She said the students learned what they can do as young residents in promoting their islands.
Over 200 students attended the MTEC Tourism Summit held at Kensington Hotel on Thursday.
The students — from third to 12th graders — are members of the MY WAVE clubs in their schools, and they understand the importance of the tourism industry in the CNMI.
MY WAVE stands for Marianas Youth Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically.
Besides Benavente, the other MTEC members are Naomi Nishimura, Larry Lee, Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero, Gordon Marciano, Glenn Policare, and Catherine Perry.
At the summit, the speakers included Gordon Marciano, managing director and part owner of Pacific Development Inc., a tour company; Kuen-Hee Han, managing director of 500 Sails; and Dr. Bobby Cruz, state education agency director for Public School System-Mental Health.
The theme of this year’s summit was, “We’re Back with Respect! Our People, Our Land, Our Guests.” This reflected “the resumption of the Marianas tourism industry and the value of respect among the people of the Marianas, which includes respect for natural resources and visitors.”
MVA co-organized the summit.
The MTEC Tourism Summit was held at Kensington Hotel on Thursday.
