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Wedding campaign gets funding
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Posted on Dec 16 1998
The Marianas Visitors Authority board has approved some $80,000 budget to carry out a campaign that will promote the Northern Marianas as a wedding destination next year.
Of this, $40,000 has been set aside for operations and the other $40,000 has been allotted for advertising.
Next year, the MVA is targeting some 2,600 Japanese couples to come here, in a move to widen its market base in Japan. Although the number of Japanese holding their weddings on the island has considerably increased for the past five years, the CNMI has lagged behind neighboring Guam with an 8.5 percent market share.
Considering the potential of the CNMI as a wedding destination, Motoyo Castro, marketing specialist of MVA, said the office must work with the entire tourism industry to implement a wedding campaign.
Currently, the most popular destination for Japanese wedding couples is Hawaii. Saipan’s market share as an overseas wedding destination is only 3.7 percent.
This year, some 2,000 Japanese couples are expected to get married in the CNMI. Under the plan, married couples will receive their marriage certificate signed by the governor and a special service. A wooden Taga Stone with the bride and groom’s name will be given as souvenir.
When the couple comes back to the CNMI for their anniversary, Castro said they can get special services offered by participating hotels. However, to receive this, the couple must be billeted in the same hotel where they stayed during their wedding.
MVA shall provide shopping coupons to participating travel agents in Japan and will be presented together with the airline tickets to the couple. Travel agents shall be responsible in giving a copy of the marriage certificates to the MVA.
