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Korean tourism industry reps tour the Marianas
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Posted on Jan 09 2019
Tour agents and other tourism industry representatives from Korea visit Bird Island Lookout on Saipan on Dec. 23, 2018, as part of their familiarization tour of the Marianas. The tour was organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority and Asiana Airlines to provide the participants first-hand experience in the destination. (MVA)
To reassure Korean travelers of the recovery of The Marianas following Super Typhoon Yutu in October 2018, the Marianas Visitors Authority and Asiana Airlines recently hosted a FAM tour for 13 key industry partners to see the destination for themselves.
Representatives from seven major agencies, DFS Korea, Asiana Airlines, and Micronesia Resort Inc., which owns Kensington Hotel Saipan, Pacific Islands Club Saipan, and Coral Ocean Golf Resort, arrived via Asiana on Dec. 20, 2018, the airline’s first flight to Saipan from Incheon, Korea, since the storm.
The group started off their four-night stay at a welcome dinner with the MVA, hotel partners, and land operators at Kensington Hotel Saipan. The following day, agency needs for their respective Marianas tour packages were discussed, and a meeting was held with industry partners and land operators to discuss how quickly partners had or would be returning to normal activity, especially package sales.
“This FAM tour was critical in reassuring the Korean market that The Marianas is still beautiful and is back in business following Yutu, which had received extensive media coverage in Korea when it hit,” said MVA managing director Christopher A. Concepcion. “Throughout their visit, the travel representatives gained first-hand experience of our post-typhoon condition. They expressed surprise at how fast we have recovered. Each travel agency committed to delivering their impressions to potential travelers to The Marianas, and so we hope this helps the Korean market fully recover faster.”
The group conducted site inspections at PIC Saipan, Fiesta Resort & Spa, Kanoa Resort, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Aqua Resort Club, and T Galleria by DFS. They also visited popular tourist sites, including Bird Island Lookout, Banzai Cliff, Korean Memorial, and Managaha Island.
Asiana Airlines provided complimentary round-trip air tickets for all participants. Kensington Hotel Saipan gave complimentary accommodation, including breakfast, and DFS included a discount coupon with its property inspection. (MVA)
