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MVA joins Taipei International Travel Fair 2015
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- Marianas Visitors Authority representatives and mascot Siheky of Pacific Islands Club Saipan promote the Northern Marianas at the Taipei International Travel Fair 2015 on Nov. 7, 2015, in Taiwan. (MVA)
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- Marianas Visitors Authority deputy managing director Judy Torres, second from right, joins the opening of the USA Pavilion on Nov. 6, 2015, at the Taipei International Travel Fair 2015. The MVA joined other U.S. destinations at the pavilion. (MVA)
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- Marianas Visitors Authority representatives and other executives at Taipei International Travel Fair 2015 on Nov. 6-9, 2015. From left, are MVA Taiwan director Milane Tsai, AIT Commercial Section specialist Mei Mei Wang, AIT chief commercial officer Ireas Cook, MVA deputy managing director Judy C. Torres, and Pacific International Travel Services president Helen Cheng. (MVA)
The Marianas Visitors Authority joined the 2015 Taipei International Travel Fair on Nov. 6-9, 2015, one of the biggest annual travel industry events in the Asia-Pacific region.
This year, the fair received 348,270 visitors, a 3-percent increase over last year’s fair. The event attracted 950 exhibitors with 1,450 booths from 60 countries.
“During the fair, we saw increased awareness of the Northern Marianas compared to before our Taiwan office opened,” said MVA deputy managing director Judy Torres. “We had more inquiries about tour packages, incentive group arrangements, and destination information.”
Tour companies in Taipei, as well as middle and southern Taiwan, have expressed interest in selling NMI tour packages.
“While demand is high, one of the challenges is the limitation of seats on connecting flights from Seoul to Saipan,” said Torres. “The flights are often fully booked, and so it makes it difficult to make the connection from Taiwan.”
According to the MVA, airlines have expressed an interest in operating direct flights from Taiwan, but are deterred by hotel room competition on Saipan and inadequate airport facilities on Tinian.
Intern to the Marianas Elain Lai, a high school tourism teacher and writer, assisted the MVA at the event in introducing the Northern Marianas’ rich tourism resources. Lai has also made several television and radio appearances to promote the destination and has an upcoming book that will include travel information about the NMI.
Actress and TV host Bear Geneie held a booking signing and quiz session, which attracted several media outlets. Geneie also shared her photo album shot on Tinian, saying you “don’t even need to Photoshop the photos. It’s very beautiful, peaceful, and quiet.”
Torres and the MVA delegation attended the fair press conference and opening ceremony, as well as the opening of the USA Pavilion and the Brand USA travel trade seminar. The Association of National Tourism Office Representatives also held its second “Super Blogger” event with four island destinations actively participating: the Northern Mariana Islands, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia. (MVA)
