By Zaldy Dandan – Variety Editor
Don’t even think about it
IN early 2023, the administration announced that the CNMI would wean itself off overreliance on a single tourism market, but instead we ended up overrelying on another market — which has since cratered. Beginning in June 2024, CNMI arrivals have been consistently low and declining. From 237,498 arrivals in fiscal year 2024, the figure dropped to 160,640 in FY 2025. Arrivals from the islands’ sole remaining major market, South Korea, were down by 37.3%.
Tourism-related businesses say they need at least 500,000 visitors a year just to break even. MVA, however, doubts the number will reach 200,000 next year.
Despite the adverse developments in the Korea market, MVA has to make do with its limited funding — $1.8 million. (Compare that amount to Guam Visitors Bureau’s $10 million budget for its airline incentive program, on top of $12.6 million for general promotion.) As MVA’s marketing director recently told reporters, “1.8 million is not going to be anywhere near what we need to even stabilize the existing service that we have, let alone attract any new service, airlines, or flights.”
What does it all mean?
For tourism-related businesses, it could mean an additional year or two of losses. How many could survive, and how many would have to further downsize or even shut down? What about their chain of local suppliers and vendors, as well as other businesses that are linked, one way or another, to the tourism industry?
And what about the single largest entity dependent on this revenue — the CNMI government, run by politicians who were elected by basically promising to “share the wealth” with the voting public? Besides the feds (i.e., American taxpayers), where else could they turn as they continue to defy basic arithmetic and incur obligations they can no longer afford?
Are they actually considering imposing new taxes or fees on already struggling businesses and other taxpayers?
Someone should tell them reality called.
Let’s give it a try
MVA has launched its new “global brand platform,” developed with the reputable Australian creative agency Cicul8, whose clients have included the Japan National Tourism Organization and Tourism Fiji.
The CNMI’s new brand marks a significant departure from previous promotional campaigns — and that’s exactly the point. The world of tourism has changed, and today’s travelers are no longer drawn solely by clear blue waters and white sand beaches. They want more. MVA
believes its new promotional strategy — which includes destination enhancement projects — can put the CNMI back on the tourism map.
It must be given a chance to succeed. This is a CNMI issue, not a partisan one.
Additional funding for promotion and site improvements would be welcome. For once, MVA should be allowed to do its job without being hamstrung by the administration’s geopolitical obsessions.
