Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) –  In its continuing work to improve visitor satisfaction, the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) – in cooperation with Northern Marianas College – is rebooting its Tour Guide Certification Program with classes in March 2026 and a streamlined process for tour guides and tour operators. The Tour Guide Certification Program was

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — The Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) reports that visitor arrivals to the Marianas totaled 14,922 in December  2025, a 24% decrease compared to 19,598 visitors in December 2024.   The destination continues to wrestle with a drastic reduction in air seat capacity over the last seven years, dropping from approximately 760,000 air

Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) –  Boat rides from Saipan  to the 22nd Annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival in the Marianas next month are now available for booking.   The festival – affectionately called “Pika (spicy) Fest” by locals – is organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) in cooperation with the Tinian Mayor’s Office and

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – Thirty runners from Japan and The Marianas take on the anticipated 10-hour Saipan Sugarcane Railroad Journey Run 81K on Saturday (Jan. 17), retracing the historic sugarcane railway route that once crisscrossed Saipan during the bustling days of the Japanese administrative period in the early 1900s. A journey run traditionally

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – This month, the Marianas will commemorate a significant chapter of its rich history—the vibrant sugarcane industry that flourished in the early 1900s during the Japanese administrative era. The commemoration features two major events: a special exhibition honoring Haruji Matsue, the legendary “Sugar King,” and the Saipan Sugarcane Railroad Journey

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – Rapper SWAY’s latest music video “Matane” released on YouTube (https://shorturl.at/xW1YH) was filmed on location on the island of Saipan in the Marianas, highlighting the artist’s affinity for the destination in a new fusion of music, entertainment, and tourism. The initiative, supported by the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA), highlights the

Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – The iconic Tinian Hot Pepper Festival returns to the Marianas for its 22nd staging on Feb. 13-14, 2025, bringing two days of food, fun, and flaming-hot island flavor to a Pacific island steeped in history. Just a 10-minute commuter flight from the capital island of Saipan, Tinian is known

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – Dec. 31, 2025, is the early bird deadline and last day for best rates for the 18th Annual Saipan Marathon, set to take place on Saturday, March 7, 2026, in the Marianas. A signature event of the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA), the internationally certified race invites runners from around

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – With Japan’s overseas student group travel nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) is using its network in the country to woo school groups. This month the Marianas welcomed 150 students from Seisa Junior High School in Yokohama city, Kanagawa Prefecture to Saipan, with an additional

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – The early bird registration deadline for Rota Marathon 2026 on Jan. 31 in the Marianas is Dec. 31, 2025,  with  online registration now open at https://mva.mymarianas.com/rota-marathon-registration/. The event is co-organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) and the Office of the Mayor of Rota.  Early bird registration rates through