The Marianas Visitors Authority needs a new approach to the South Korean market as the CNMI is down to just four weekly flights from Korea, MVA board member Ivan Quichocho said last Wednesday Aug. 12, as he opposed extending MVA’s existing Korea offshore marketing contract.
Quichocho made his position clear during the MVA board meeting as members considered management’s recommendation to maintain an in-market presence in Korea under a revised and reduced operating model for fiscal year 2027.
“I don't support an extension of the contract. I would prefer we go back to an RFP,” Quichocho said. “Since the engagement of AVIEW, we've actually gone backwards.”
AVIEW stands for AVIEW Korea, which according to its website, is MVA’s official public relations and marketing agency in South Korea
Quichocho said MVA no longer has the luxury of waiting for the existing arrangement to improve and should consider finding a contractor with a proven track record or changing its approach entirely.
He suggested MVA could target different segments separately, with one contractor focusing on social media marketing and another concentrating on air service and airline engagement.
“And at the rate that we're sitting at right now with only four weekly flights from Korea, I think we take off the gloves, and we're in crisis mode, so I think we can take a different approach,” Quichocho said.
Quichocho later reiterated his preference for a competitive procurement rather than extending the existing arrangement.
“I just prefer we don't go down that road of extending that. I mean, we can do a month-to-month, but I would prefer we go back to doing RFP and being more channel and very specific on what we want in our agreement. No gray area,” he said.
MVA management had recommended maintaining an in-market presence in Korea but under a reduced operating model that would give MVA headquarters greater oversight. Management said the proposed changes involve the contract’s price and operating structure and remain subject to legal and procurement review.
After an executive session, during which the board said no action was taken, the board returned to open session and approved management’s request to seek a modification of the Korea offshore-office contract and reduce its budget in line with MVA’s fiscal situation.
The board separately approved proceeding with a request for proposals for the Korea market if legal or procurement officials do not approve the proposed modification of the existing agreement.
MVA is taking a different route with Japan.
The board approved management moving forward with an RFP for its Japan offshore representation for FY2027, subject to legal and procurement approval. At least two board members will serve on the evaluation committee.
Under the proposed Japan model, MVA headquarters would retain control over strategy, branding, budget, activities, approvals and performance expectations while using a more limited scope of representation services.
Board members also stressed the need to focus on the performance of MVA’s offshore contractors and explore markets that may not have received as much attention in the past.
In other financial action, the board approved transferring $6,000 from the canceled Taste of the Marianas to cover utilities and another $3,000 for capital assets for the remainder of FY2026.
Management said Taste of the Marianas was canceled because of the typhoon. MVA had already incurred some expenses preparing the site before the cancellation, but not all of the money budgeted or encumbered for the event was spent. Management said some of the remaining money was needed because of higher utility costs and for parts for its accounting server.
The board also approved allocating $85,081.53 in excess Public Assistance funds associated with prior-year MVA projects and Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements. Of that amount, $75,000 will go to MVA’s Spruce-Up Campaign and $10,081.53 to the MVA Building Fund.
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