MVA conducts FAM tours for Japan travel agents, media

Japanese media reps visit Sumiyoshi Shrine on Rota in The Marianas on Sept. 3, 2022, as part of a media FAM tour conducted by the Marianas Visitors Authority. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

To attract more visitors from Japan to The Marianas, the Marianas Visitors Authority recently conducted a series of FAM tours to familiarize Japanese travel agents, media, airline representatives, and influencers with the destination.

On Sept. 1, 2022, United Airlines commenced direct flights between Narita and Saipan three times a week. The MVA conducted five FAM tours between Aug. 20 and Sept. 7, 2022, to bring partners up-to-date on what The Marianas has to offer visitors.

“FAM tours remain a very important part of the MVA’s marketing strategy in all our source markets, as they provide an opportunity for participants to gain first-hand knowledge of the destination and better help us promote or sell the destination,” said MVA managing director Priscilla M. Iakopo. “For Japan, it’s particularly important at this time to reacquaint the travel trade and the public with The Marianas, as we have been off the sales rack since the departure of Delta Air Lines. This FAM tours program will better position The Marianas as there are now direct non-stop service flights from Japan to Saipan. Special thanks to the support of our partner hotels, restaurants, and optional tour companies that help support each tour.”

The first travel agent FAM tour from Aug. 20-24 included representatives of HIS, Rakuten Travel GUM, T.P. Micronesia Inc., NTA, Meguru Co. Ltd, Trans-world Journey, Eurasia Travel Co, TravelIsland, be.inc Adventure Inc., and Lawson Entertainment Inc.

Eleven popular social media influencers specializing in travel conducted a FAM tour on Aug. 20-26, sharing with their followers their experiences with skydiving, snorkeling at Grotto, taking a buggy tour, taking tours of Rota and Tinian, and more. The tour was handled by Tasi Tours.

The second travel agent FAM Tour from Aug. 27-31 included representatives of JTB, HIS, KNT, Veltra Inc., Hankyu Travel International, Reiwa Travel, JCB Card, JR Tokai Tours Inc., Heart Agency Co. Ltd., Yamas Japan, Adventures Inc., and T.P. Micronesia Inc.

A golf FAM tour was held on Sept. 1-4 with representatives of United Airlines, United Tours Co. Ltd., and IACE Travel Corp.

The final FAM tour from Sept. 1-7 included media representatives of CREA Traveller, GENIC, Travel.jp, Asahi Newspaper, Travel Voice, Wing Travel, Traicy, and United Airlines. The media tour was handled by PDI and covered Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

The MVA will further promote The Marianas at the Japan Association of Travel Agents Tourism Expo on Sept. 22-25, 2022, in Tokyo. (PR)