Rota Marathon: A ray of hope
On Jan. 13, 2024, the first ever Rota Marathon will be staged, drawing athletes and media attention to this stunning gem of an island in The Marianas archipelago.
The idea for a Rota Marathon took root at the Marianas Visitors Authority just a few months ago, where my proposal quickly gained support from both our division managers on the ground and our board. Based on our extensive experience with organizing other marathons and sporting events, we felt confident that a marathon would be the most strategic and efficient event we could host annually. After all, any traveler can easily pack a pair of running shoes. Having an actual event would be an exciting addition to—and a periodic focal point for—the ongoing island-specific marketing and promotions that the MVA has made of Rota (and Tinian) for a number of years now.
Despite its exquisite offerings for travelers, we all know the dire state of Rota’s tourism. Yet the island has exactly what many of today’s travelers are seeking—pristine nature, the opportunity to connect with the local community, authentic culture, and a place to rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit. All this and more, Rota offers 365 days a year.
The single biggest inhibitor to the growth of Rota’s tourism is its high-priced air service. As has been said many times before, affordable, frequent, and reliable interisland air service is the only way to increase visitor arrivals to both Rota and Tinian. We thank STAR Marianas for their support of extended flight hours during events like our annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival. The same for Rota would be a tremendous boost for the Rota Marathon. In the meantime, charter flights are available for groups. And with this fiscal year’s reinstatement of Public Law 18-1 and hotel occupancy tax allotments to the MVA and the municipalities, the municipalities are legally authorized and have the sole discretion to use those funds for their own tourism-related activities, including support for charter flights. This opens new opportunities for making it more affordable to fly to the islands through programs created by the municipalities. We’ve recently heard from travel agents in Korea that there is interest in developing tour packages for Rota if more flights at affordable rates can be offered, so we strongly support the use of the funds toward this purpose.
As we move into the final weeks now of preparation, we are working strategically to make this first Rota Marathon a successful one, with a reasonable number of participants, a well-managed and safe race, and—something Rota does better than anyone—a real opportunity for off-island visitors to connect with the people, the land, and the indigenous culture. There are many steps needed to grow this event over time to its full potential, but these three factors are fundamental to start. After Jan. 13, we will sit down and assess the event for cost-effectiveness and the potential of its continued viability.
On that note, it’s appropriate to recognize some of the sponsors and supporters who are making Rota tourism their business by partnering with us to make the marathon a success. First and foremost, Mayor Aubry Hocog and the Rota Legislative Delegation—Senate Vice President Donald Manglona, Sen. Paul Manglona, Sen. Dennis Mendiola, and Rep. Julie Ogo. Thank you to Valentino Hotel for donating hotel rooms to make the trip more affordable for off-island athletes. We know we can always count on the Rota community for their friendliness and hospitality toward visitors—that will be one of the highlights for participants. Si Yu’us ma’ase and olomwaay, all.
It’s not too late to join us in launching what we hope will be a longstanding event for The Marianas and for Rota. We’ve strategically placed it on the holiday weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Registration rates are only $40 for the full marathon and $20 for the 5K. For that, you’ll get a Limited Edition Official Rota Marathon T-shirt, Rota Marathon medal, and one entry to the awards banquet to be held at 6pm on race day. And we all know how Rota serves up an island banquet…delicious! For the rest, we’ve got attractive cash prizes. And we’re giving group rates, too.
Joining the inaugural Rota Marathon is going to be more than just another marathon, another half-marathon, or another 5K (as you choose). You can look at it as an investment and a sign of support for the Rota community, the recovery of its tourism economy, and our continued development of The Marianas a multi-island destination. Taking to the starting line at Rota Roundhouse in Songsong and traversing the quiet, scenic roadways of the island will leave each participant with a unique sense of satisfaction. We’re betting our money on it.
Registration forms and more details are available on The Marianas Calendar at www.mymarianas.com/the-marianas-calendar. Nature’s Treasure Island awaits you. See you on Rota!
“Joining the inaugural Rota Marathon is going to be more than just another marathon, another half-marathon, or another 5K. …You can look at it as an investment and a sign of support for the Rota community, the recovery of its tourism economy, and our continued development of The Marianas as a multi-island destination.”
Christopher A. Concepcion is the managing director of the Marianas Visitors Authority.
