MVA joins JATA Tourism Expo 2019

Kyoko Okabe, MVA Japan sales manager, promotes the Marianas on Oct. 27, 2019, at the JATA Travel Expo 2019, in Osaka, Japan.
(Photos by MVA)

The Marianas Visitors Authority joined representatives of nearly 150 other international countries and regions and a record 1,475 businesses and organizations at the JATA Tourism Expo 2019, Japan’s largest annual travel show, last Oct. 24-27, 2019.

The number of attendees grew 13% from last year to 150,000 visitors over the four-day period.

JATA Tourism Expo 2019 was held at INTEX Osaka and attracted national tourism agencies, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, cruise companies, other tourism professionals and the traveling public. The MVA joined other exhibitors in providing the latest tourism information to visitors and professional members of the travel trade. This year, about 48,000 tourism professionals joined the event on the travel trade day on Oct. 24-25, while an estimated 102,000 consumers joined the third and fourth days of the event.

“With the advent of direct flights between Japan and the Marianas later this month, there was definitely a new sense of excitement at this year’s JATA Tourism Expo,” said MVA marketing manager Thomas Kim. “Our participation in this annual event offered us another opportunity to share with tourism industry representatives and potential visitors the many tourism resources available on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. We made the most of the opportunity to let Japanese travelers know what the Marianas has to offer them in terms of a memorable vacation with family or friends.”

MVA Japan conducted the presentation on the Marianas and the stage show “Marianas Quiz.” In addition, visitors to the booth had the opportunity to learn coconut frond weaving, banana-printing, and “mwar” (flower head lei)-making and take pictures with 2019 Liberation Day Queen Pernalynn Janet B. Camacho, Marianas-chan, and Pickles the Frog.

The event was organized by the Japan Travel and Tourism Association and Japan Association of Travel Agents.

The JATA Tourism Expo is internationally recognized as one of the largest travel events in the world and presents Japan as a tourism nation to the world, further developing outbound, inbound and domestic travel by bringing together the combined strengths of not only the tourism industry, but all industries in Japan and its local communities. JATA Tourism Expo provides opportunities for travel professionals to exchange travel information and conduct effective business meetings, while inspiring consumers through the power of travel.

JATA Tourism Expo 2019 will be held from Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2020, in Okinawa. (PR)