Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – “Tourism is Everybody’s Business,” and the Marianas Tourism Education Council (MTEC) and Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) are on track with their goal of sharing the message with every public school this year.
The MTEC-MVA team visited Marianas High School on Wednesday (April 2) and Francisco M. Sablan Middle School on Monday (March 31), sharing basic facts about The Marianas tourism economy, visitor profiles and activities, the work of the MVA, and how and why students can help support the industry.
“The presentation was very interactive, and it was great to see all the students engaged,” said 7th grade teacher Annie Arriola. “It was very informative.”
With this year’s theme, “Planting Peace - Manånånum Pås- Ffóttol llol Tipiyeew,” the annual school outreach targets 4th graders, 7th graders, and 10th graders on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota with current information and activities highlighting The Marianas’ primary economic driver, the
hospitality industry. 7th grade teacher Ezekiel Macario also commended the content shared by the tourism industry team.
“Clean, organized, and engaging for the students,” Macario said. “Good execution by the presenters.”
The educational outreach was conducted by MTEC Board Member Catherine Perry and MVA Community Projects Coordinators Jack Aranda and Sherman Santos. MTEC is a non-profit organization whose mission is three-fold: to foster community understanding and support of the visitor industry; to educate the public, especially school students, about the value, social benefits, and economic contributions made to the community by the visitor industry; and to instill, improve, and promote the “Hafa Adai-Tirow” hospitality spirit throughout the island community.
For more information about MTEC, contact MVA Community Projects Coordinator Jack Aranda at communityprojects@mymarianas.com or 1.670.664.3200/1.
Students of Marianas High School share some of the facts they’ve learned about tourism as Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) Community Projects Coordinator Sherman Santos listens. The MVA and the Marianas Tourism Education Council visited the school in Susupe, Saipan, on April 2, 2025, to teach about fundamentals of The Marianas tourism economy and how students can support the industry.
Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) Community Projects Coordinator Jack Aranda addresses 7th graders at Francisco M. Sablan Middle School on March 31, 2025. The MVA and Marianas Tourism Education Council visited the students to teach them about the fundamentals of tourism and how they can help support the tourism industry.
The Marianas is an archipelago of 14 islands - including Saipan, Tinian, and Rota - in the Western Pacific. The Marianas are home to indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian people, as well as over 20 different ethnicities from around the world who live and work in this harmonious tropical paradise. Ancient latte stone limestone monoliths, traditional nature-based ocean navigation not reliant on modern technology, and a culture seasoned by East and West influences are just a few of the experiences found in The Marianas, where pristine sea, sand, and skies are only a 3–4-hour flight from major Asian gateway cities. From South Korea, Jeju Air, and T’Way provide direct flights to Saipan from Seoul-Incheon. United Airlines flies three times a week from Tokyo-Narita, Japan, and daily from Guam. Hong Kong Airlines flies twice weekly from Hong Kong. Interisland travel between Saipan, Tinian, and Rota is provided by Star Marianas Air. For more information on The Marianas, visit www.mymarianas.com, Facebook/VisitTheMarianas, or Instagram @themarianas.
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