‘XTERRA-Saipan a boon to local tourism’

Organizers of the XTERRA Saipan Championship estimated that last Saturday’s event brought in millions of dollars worth of publicity and $375,000 in direct visitor spending to the island.

Team Unlimited marketing and media relations director Trey Garman said some 500 people traveled to Saipan for the race, which was featured in various media in Japan and throughout the world.

According to Garman, Team Unlimited produces a 30-minute show on Saipan featuring XTERRA, the Sports Fest, and the Tagaman triathlon every year. The show is aired on Gaora TV, which reaches more than 3 million households in Japan.

This year, the XTERRA Saipan Championship show is tentatively scheduled for its first airdate in late June, and second and third showings in July, Garman said. The show will also be seen throughout the United States via syndication, as well as in Saipan and Guam.

The TV package also includes 11 XTERRA Planet shows which feature Saipan billboards and advertisements.

Garman reported that last year, XTERRA Saipan had 43 airings in Japan alone, reaching 3.87 million viewers and creating 11.1 million MVA impressions. In the United States, the show had 80 airings, 2 million views and 4.5 million MVA impressions.

Further, Saipan is expected to receive as much as $1 million worth of publicity in print and web-based media, with numerous international publications covering the event.

According to Garman, Japan’s FORM Magazine is planning to allot 10 to 12 pages for the XTERRA Saipan. One of the magazine’s writers participated in the race.

Outdoor Japan featured a pre-race story and will run a post-race story as well, focusing on activities for families visiting Saipan. Other Japan media that sent crews for the event were Tarzan Magazine and Triathlon Japan.

From the United States, publications that covered the race were the Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, Adventure Sports, and Sports Etc. magazines.

XTERRA Saipan was also covered by other media including Action Asia, Continental Inflight Magazine, Trimag Europe Magazine, Honolulu Advertiser, Hungary’s Sportpiac Magazine, and the Guam Pacific Daily News.

Dozens of websites are also expected to feature reports and pictures from the race.

Garman further noted that Saipan reaps benefits from XTERRA all year round through the presence of the XTERRA Saipan marketing office in Japan, which is the Northern Marianas’ primary tourism market.

He said the marketing office produces Saipan brochures and posters and distributes them throughout the country. The office organizes XTERRA camps and clinics for Japanese training for the race, and lends support to the MVA office in Japan.

Garman admitted that visitor impact was difficult to quantify.

Nevertheless, he provided the following computation: “If you estimate that there were 175 visiting competitors, race management, TV crew, and staff, and assumed the industry standard that they traveled with two friends/family, that would be approximately 500 people on Saipan for XTERRA. If they stayed three nights and spent $250 per day, that would result in $375,000 in direct visitor spending.”