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Media visit to promote Hong Kong charter flights
To promote new charter flights from Hong Kong to Saipan launched in May 2014, five major newspaper and magazine journalists from Guangdong province visited the Northern Marianas this month to learn more about the destination first-hand.
The representatives of the publications, all targeting “high-consuming” groups, were on Saipan June 2-5, 2014. Their itinerary included an island and jungle tour, a sunset cruise, marine sports and a barbeque lunch at Managaha, a submarine tour, a tour of American Memorial Park and Garapan, and golf at Lao Lao Bay Golf & Resort.
Media representatives of five newspaper and magazines from Guangdong, China, visited the peak of Saipan on Mt. Tapochau on June 3, 2014, as part of their FAM tour. (MVA)
“It’s been several years since the NMI has had direct flights from Hong Kong, and we are looking forward to visitors coming from this source city again,” said Marianas Visitors Authority marketing manager Bruce Bateman. “In addition, the Hong Kong flights are anticipated to draw many visitors from nearby Guangdong province and perhaps even provide a connection from Taiwan.”
The participating publications were Shenzhen Economic Daily-Travel Weekly Magazine, targeting government, private companies, and high consumption readers with a circulation of 600,000 copies; Guangzhou Boutique Life, targeting high income groups in southern China with a circulation of 500,000; Shenzen Daily, targeting white-collar elite with a circulation of 500,000; DongGuan Daily, targeting the middle and high-market with a circulation of 200,000; and Southern Daily News, targeting the high consumption reader market with a circulation of 180,000.
The FAM(ilarization) tour group also sampled seafood dinner and a cultural dinner show at Fiesta Resort & Spa, lunch at Lao Lao Bay Golf & Resort, and lunch at Isla Café. Hotel inspections were also conducted of Hyatt Regency Saipan and Fiesta, where the group lodged during their tour.
In May 2014, 131visitors arrived in the Northern Mariana Islands from Hong Kong compared to 48 visitors in May 2013, and 646 in May of 2011 when flights last flew from HK direct to the CNMI. (MVA)
