MVA steps up marketing campaign

Despite a limited budget, the Marianas Visitors Authority will continue its marketing activities that will boost visitor arrivals such as placing a television commercial in Japan which will feature the Sai-panda mascot.

According to MVA Managing Director Perry Tenorio, Tokyo-based advertising firm Dentsu Division 10 has been retained by the agency to help in promoting the Northern Marianas as the best travel destination for Japanese.

As part of its campaign, MVA will have more familiarization tours with various media entities and travel agent seminars to increase awareness about the CNMI as well as to encourage more repeat visitors.

Tenorio told MVA members during its bi-annual meeting that the tourism office is now in the midst of a direct marketing campaign in partnership with Family Mar Stores in Japan.

“This in store promotion promises to allow us daily visibility in their 5,300 stores, thus roughly equaling a level of exposure in excess of 100,000,000 visitors. This will then only be the start of our desire to conduct similar aggressive direct marketing opportunities in the years ahead,” he said.

In hosting the Marianas Tourism Academy next week, Tenorio said MVA has decided to focus its efforts exclusively to the Kyushu Prefecture and specifically the city of Fukuoka since there is a demand for information about the destination to the agents in this region.

MVA’s partnership with the travel industry in Japan will still be carried out through advertisement in the form of flyers and sales brochure materials. A Marianas Sales Guide 2000 will be completed by the latter part of November in time for distribution during JATA 1999 with the help of Travel Journal writers and photographers.

Tenorio said MVA’s representative offices in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka are maintaining close contacts with members of the travel industry in Japan.

With regards to the Korean market, MVA has increased its commitment to this region by increasing its promotional budget in attracting visitors from Seoul and Pusan. Promotional campaign in Korea will include more marketing activities such as familiarization tours and travel agent seminars and tours in Fiscal Year 2000.

Production of a comprehensive set of brochures and collateral pieces that would give the CNMI a consistent appearance are being creatively designed to be made available in major market languages. Likewise, MVA will make an updated destination and dive video.

This developed as Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio urged MVA and the private sector to continue their partnership in developing the CNMI as a world-class destination. “The consumer products that the CNMI offers to travelers consists of hotel accommodations, shopping facilities, water sports amenities, fine wine and exquisite dining. All these products must be able to convince tourists that we have the best to offer,” said the governor.

Although visitors from destinations such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the United States will still come to the CNMI, the governor said the numbers may be less.