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MVA optimistic Japan trip will yield results
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Posted on Mar 02 2005
A senior tourism delegation led by Gov. Juan N. Babauta visited Japan on Feb. 21-22 for talks with senior management at major Japanese airlines and Japanese travel agencies.
Members of the delegation included Carlos Salas, executive director of the Commonwealth Ports Authority; Marian Aldan-Pierce, vice chair of the MVA board of directors; MVA board members Yoichi Matsumura and Ikuo Katayama; HANMI president Lynn Knight, and Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Vicky Benavente.
During the two-day stay in Japan, the delegation met with top executives of four major airlines—Japan Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines and All Nippon Airways—as well as with five key travel agencies, including JTB, R&C Tours, Kintetsu International, Pacific Micronesia Tours, and Holiday Tours Micronesia.
This packed schedule allowed the delegation to exchange various opinions and ideas with key players in the Japan market to increase travel demand from Japan, and sustain the growth that has been experienced in the Japan market over the past two years.
The main purpose of the delegation’s visit to Japan was to request that the airlines consider increasing seat capacity from Japan to the CNMI on their regular flights, and to add additional flights, either in the form of chartered services, or new regularly scheduled services from Japan. The CNMI in return has offered a package of incentives including a temporary discount on airport fees and promotional support from key tourism partners in the CNMI.
Japan remains the largest source of inbound travelers into the CNMI, accounting for about three-quarters of inbound tourists, and the delegation’s mission to Japan was designed to find ways of continuously cultivating this key market.
“With the Governor’s leadership, all the meetings in Japan were extremely fruitful, and we’re optimistic that they will result in concrete increases in airline service from Japan. As a team, we were able to showcase the CNMI’s commitment to the key Japan market, and to proactively market our islands as a major travel destination for the Japanese,” said MVA’s Benavente. (PR)
