Nishikawa is named CNMI’s honorary envoy to Japan

File photo shows former Hyatt Regency Saipan general manager Nick Nishikawa. (Bea Cabrera)

Former Hyatt Regency Saipan general manager Nick Nishikawa is the new honorary Marianas tourism ambassador to Japan.

The Marianas Visitors Authority’s board of directors announced Nishikawa’s appointment during a regular board meeting yesterday at the MVA conference room, with Nishikawa joining the meeting online as he is currently in Japan.

Nishikawa, who has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, 13 years of which were spent at the Hyatt Regency Saipan, said that he will do whatever he can to promote the CNMI in Japan, in addition to helping with all MVA activities in Japan.

Nishikawa is currently in Japan as general manager of a hotel that is under construction and will be opening in May next year. Nishikawa says that he will be meeting with a lot of influential people and will be able to promote the CNMI in Japan through that.

Speaking at the board meeting, MVA board member Ivan Quichocho told Nishikawa, “I look forward to working with you. …All efforts are going to be pushed forward to try and promote direct service. …And once we select an airline partner, or partners, we need to get some work to really stimulate demand and ensure we can fill up the airplanes and restart the Japan market. So the plan should be forthcoming. …Japan is working very hard. We have JCB here today and they’re going around meeting with vendors also. We’re restarting the infrastructure for the Japan market.”

Along with this, Quichocho said there will be seminars for industry partners to re-introduce the CNMI to Japan and he urged Nishikawa to join these seminars.

According to MVA managing director Priscilla Iakopo, Nishikawa has “demonstrated exemplary leadership and personal care for the well-being of Hyatt Regency Saipan, its employees, tourism partners, and the greater Marianas community in strong support of local labor development, endorsement of numerous most charitable donations, assistance to employees and the public following the devastation of Super Typhoon Soudelor and Super Typhoon Yutu, and ensuring the continued presence of a flagship hotel on Saipan through or renewal of Hyatt Regency Saipan’s public land lease.”

MVA board chair Viola Alepuyo also commended Nishikawa for his commitment, contribution, and dedication to the CNMI tourism industry.

Nishikawa was the general manager of Hyatt Regency Saipan from 2015 to 2022. He served as treasurer of the MVA board from 2017 to 2020 and chairman of the Japan ad hoc committee. He was elected chairman of the Hotel Association of the Northern Marianas Islands from 2010 to 2013, and continued to serve on the advisory board until March 2020. 

Last month, MVA said it is shooting to launch its Tourism Resumption Investment Plan for Japan sometime in July, with airline carriers reportedly expressing interest in resuming the Japan-Saipan route.

Back in September 2021, as TRIP Japan ad hoc committee chair, Nishikawa started discussions with the MVA Japan office on how they will carry out the first steps in establishing the Japan travel bubble.