Russian TV show to give $45-M publicity on CNMI uniqueness

Popular Russian television host Michael Shirvindt will feature the Northern Mariana Islands on his highly rated show beginning in September 2011, bringing an estimated $45-million in international exposure to this beach resort destination.

Saipan, Tinian and Rota are becoming increasingly popular with Russian travelers seeking a clean, quiet and safe Pacific getaway.

Shirvindt hosts the leading Russian TV tourism and destination program, “I Want to Know Everything with Michael Shirvindt,” and recently concluded taping for the show on three islands. The show, called “Hochu Znat’” in Russian, airs internationally to 250-million Russian speakers in Russia, other former Soviet states, Asia, Australia, the United States, and other areas.

“The anticipated ad exposure for this show exclusively about the Northern Marianas is the largest FAM[iliariziation] tour opportunity we’ve seen from Russia, yet,” said Marianas Visitors Authority marketing manager Bruce Bateman. “The MVA was pleased to partner with Hochu Znat’ on air transportation, facilitation and film permitting, as Russia is an important visitors market we must capitalize on, as much as our meager resources will allow. Thanks to help from our partners and MVA members, we were able to do just that in this case.”

The show will feature what makes the Northern Marianas unique in the world, based on 19 topics suggested by the MVA, including the Marianas Trench, indigenous Chamorro latte stones, the Marianas Butterfly Fish, and more. The show will run as a series until September 2012.

During their 6-day tour the show crew visited the Flame Tree Arts Festival, Managaha, American Memorial Park, Saipan Zoo, Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, and a local farm and garden. The crew also took a submarine tour, went trolling, took island tours of Tinian and Rota, took an aerial tour of Saipan, and filmed coconut frond weaving, banana printing, Bo Jo Bo doll production, indigenous Carolinian open ocean navigation, local food preparation, local dances, tuba (indigenous coconut-based alcohol) making, noni production and more.

The crew lodged at Mariana Resort & Spa, Rota Resort, and Saipan World Resort during their visit and also sampled the culinary offerings of other major hotels, including Saipan Grand Hotel, Aqua Resort Club, Pacific Islands Club Saipan, and Hyatt Regency Saipan.

“Since the Northern Marianas first started marketing to Russians in 1996, we have seen this market grow to 7 percent of total tourism revenue even with federalization of NMI immigration,” said Bateman. “With the average Russian visitor spending 4.5 times as much as other Asian visitors, Russia remains an important and growing contributor to the Northern Marianas’ tourism economy.”

The FAM tour was also supported by Saipan Sea Venture, Subsea, Saipan Zoo, PDI, Belka Tours, Tasi Tours, Bay Breeze Snack Bar, Star Marianas, and Saipan Events.[I] (MVA)[/I]