Japan business group secures $200K exposure for NMI

The Northern Marianas earned $200,000 worth of exposure by participating in the Shinbashi Koichi Festival in Japan from July 22 to 23.

The Japan Business Executive Committee said video footage of the festival—which included performances by CNMI cultural dancers—will be shown on a Faro City Vision, a huge monitor screen right in front of the Shinbashi station.

A daily average of 700,000 passengers go through the Shinbashi station, which is listed as the ninth busiest station in Japan.

The cost of airing the video is worth $200,000. The Marianas Visitors Authority’s booth at the festival was prepared for promotional activities and brochure distribution at no cost, JBEC noted.

“It’s a new type of promotion. Cash expenses mainly for accommodation alone was about $8,000 while the advertising opportunity we will receive could be in the thousands of dollars,” said Hiroyuki Saito, Lao Lao Bay Golf Resort’s vice president and JBEC member.

Saito was instrumental in securing the advertising deal for the CNMI. He got in touch with the Shinbashi community late last year and negotiated a mutual benefit advertisement program.

“Shinbashi wanted something new to make the Koichi Festival more attractive. They asked me if MVA could sponsor the event by sending cultural dancers and providing two roundtrip tickets to Saipan as a prize in the Yukata Bijin Contest [the Traditional Summer Kimono Beauty Pageant]. In return, Shinbashi committed to give us valuable advertisement opportunities,” Saito related.

He noted that everybody recognized that the deal was an effective advertisement opportunity for the CNMI, but MVA could not go forward because of its financial problem.

MVA and the Saipan delegation were able to participate in the event through the help of numerous contributors including JAL Saipan, which contributed free tickets for the prize and discounted airfares for the local delegation. JBEC is chaired by JAL regional manger Shinichi Yoshida.

For its part, Pacific Development Inc. arranged for the participation of the cultural dancers who were supervised by Kazuko Takahashi. Other JBEC members and even non-members made commitments to donate cash and complimentary coupons to help MVA in their participation at the event.

“JBEC will continue to arrange low cost but high performance advertisement opportunities. The organization will also be active in helping MVA participate in these kinds of events,” Yoshida said.

Aside from showcasing their dancing talent, the cultural dancers from Saipan did a demonstration of traditional accessories making at the MVA booth during the festival.

Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela also spoke to the Shinbashi community, expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to promote the CNMI in Shinbashi and his desire to see the good relationship between both communities continue.

“We regard this occasion not simply as an opportunity for joint promotion, but perceive it as an important beginning of friendship and cultural exchange between the people of the Northern Mariana Islands, the people of Shimbashi, and everyone associated with this festival,” Tudela said.

He noted that Saipan is only a three-hour trip from Japan, making it an idyllic holiday destination for families, couples, individuals, and groups who are out “to enjoy an activity-packed vacation or relaxing retreat.”

“Saipan has responded to the growing demand for more recreational opportunities for guests—whether they are looking for world-class golf courses, the breathtaking beauty and fascination of our underwater paradises, or the increased sophistication, variety and quality of our dining establishments,” he said. “Through our famous Mariana Island hospitality we strive to ensure that all visitors to Saipan return home with unforgettably wonderful memories of their trip.”