‘Guam leads promotion in South Korean market’

Guam’s image and marketing strategy are the main reasons Korean tourist arrivals to Saipan are in a flat growth, according to the Marianas Visitors Authority’s Korea office.

Y.T. Park, an official of the MVA Korea office, said many Koreans, especially young people, perceive Guam as a “mini-Hawaii”—a beautiful, well-developed destination with lots of sightseeing attractions and shopping opportunities.

Park added that Guam currently reaches a wider market in Korea, with more Guam hotels doing aggressive marketing activities in the market.

He noted that during the latest Korea World Travel Fair, vendor members of Guam’s marketing brand “Pleasure Island” participated in the activities, distributing a huge amount of giveaways and sponsoring functions for trade agents, the media, and general consumers.

Compared to Guam, Saipan is at a disadvantage even in terms of airline seat capacity, Park noted.

He reported that from October 2004 to July 2005, Saipan has an air capacity of 83,353 seats via Asiana Airlines. This represents only 80 percent of the 104,612 airline seats provided by Korean Air to Guam during the same period.

Asiana’s recent decision to downsize the aircraft used to service its Seoul-Saipan flights is expected to further reduce the number of seats available for Korean tourists.

Last May, Asiana changed the aircraft type for the Saipan route from the 260-seater Boeing 767 to an Airbus 321, resulting in a loss of 83 seats per flight.

Park recommended that promotional activities be conducted in Korea in conjunction with hotel vendors. He added that it would help if MVA concentrated on promoting during the low months for Korean arrivals, such as March, April, May, September and October.

Further, Park bared a proposal to ask Asiana Airlines to develop the Japan market.

“[Asiana] may be interested in attracting Japanese demand to the CNMI after the pullout of Japan Airlines. MVA Korea will have a discussion with Asiana to draw Japanese demand to the CNMI via Inchon and Pusan (where major Korean airports are located),” Park said.

He added, “Fortunately, most of Asiana’s flights from Japanese cities arrive in Inchon and Pusan at day time, so one-day connection to Saipan is available.”

According to Park, MVA’s marketing strategy should also include:
* Encouraging travel agents to develop and sell CNMI products exclusively

* Renewing the image of the Northern Marianas as a safe destination for sports events, cuisines, and wellness through advertising placement and joint promotion with the media and tour agents

* Raising consumer awareness of Tinian and Rota through on- and off-line promotions

* Strengthening marketing activities for niche markets such as language program, school trip, sports-related events, and incentives.