MVA, DCCA tie up to jumpstart Marianas tourism

The Marianas Visitors Authority and Department of Community and Cultural Affairs are teaming up to help reboot tourism in the Marianas.

The 38th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival on April 11-14, 2019, on Saipan will feature the #MyMarianas Paradise Festival, bringing celebrity performers from Korea, Japan, and China in a media event aimed at highlighting the islands’ recovery from Super Typhoon Yutu, enduring natural beauty, and various attractions.

“The MVA is extremely excited and grateful to partner with the DCCA Commonwealth Council for Arts & Culture to make this year’s Flame Tree Arts Festival a special event featuring some top performing artists from our major source markets,” said MVA managing director Christopher A. Concepcion. “Thanks to [our] agreement [with] DCCA Secretary Robert Hunter and Arts Council executive director Parker Yobei, we expect the elevate the exposure of the Marianas, and especially the Flame Tree Arts Festival, to new heights through a one-night concert featuring these guest performers.

“The #MyMarianas Paradise Festival will help spread the word that the Marianas warmly welcomes visitors for a truly unique cross-cultural experience in paradise,” he added.

Japanese performance artist Kenichi Ebina, winner of the 8th season of America’s Got Talent, will perform at the #MyMarianas Paradise Festival on Apr. 13, 2019. Other performers will be boy band Ulala Session and singer Hu Gak of South Korea, and singer Yixin Wang of China. (MVA)

The Flame Tree Arts Festival is Micronesia’s longest-running arts and culture festival and will feature live performances, artwork and crafts, food sales, and more. From traditional to contemporary, various art forms will demonstrated and celebrated, including performing arts, visual arts, handicrafts, culinary arts, and more.

In addition to a large main stage, his year’s festival will also feature a second, acoustic stage with more performances.

The #MyMarianas Paradise Festival concert will feature four artists on April 13, 2019, from 5pm to 9pm at the festival grounds at Civic Center, Saipan. Dancer Kenichi Ebina of Japan won Season 8 of America’s Got Talent. From South Korea, boy band Ulala Session rose to fame after winning the 2011 television talent show Superstar K 3, and singer Hu Gak won Superstar K 2. Singer Yixin Wang of China will also perform.

Visitors to the festival may use the T Galleria courtesy shuttle bus and disembark at Saipan World Resort, immediately adjacent to the festival grounds. The shuttle stops at T Galleria in Garapan, as well as major hotels.

The MVA is also arranging for media from South Korea, China, and Japan to cover the concert, the Flame Tree Arts Festival, and other attractions during the week.

“The #MyMarianas Paradise Festival will be a great opportunity to show the world that the Marianas is open for visitors, still beautiful, and still a great place to visit,” said Concepcion. “Best of all, the concert will be absolutely free for visitors and residents alike. We realize that some businesses are still struggling as the economy recovers, but we encourage everyone who can to please help support the Arts Council with a monetary donation this year—large or small—to help make this event a success and help reboot our destination.”

Additional sponsors include Hotel Association of the Northern Marianas Islands and Hard Rock Café Saipan. Flame Tree Arts Festival sponsors this year are Bridge Capital, T Galleria by DFS, Bank of Guam, IT&E, MARPAC, 4ever CNMI, and Tan Siu Lin Foundation.

For more information, visit The Marianas Calendar at www.mymarians.com. (PR)