Previous Story
Right now, Japan market share only accounts for 7 pct. of CNMI tourists
Although the Japan market accounts for only 7 percent of tourists in the CNMI, the Marianas Visitors Authority is actually spending more on an annual basis to market the Commonwealth in Japan compared to MVA’s promotional expenses in South Korea and China.
MVA managing director Christopher Concepcion pointed this out in emphasizing that MVA will never give up on Japan, since this is the market that started the tourism industry in the CNMI.
Concepcion said they continue to market the CNMI aggressively in Japan and Korea as is shown in the many social media posts and press releases they send to local and international media daily and weekly.
In the global tourism industry, he said, out of sight means out of mind, and that they cannot afford to lose the CNMI’s presence in Japan, Korea, or any other source market because it will be doubly expensive to regain that presence once it is lost.
“We are very cognizant of this,” he said.
The MVA earlier disclosed that South Korea takes the lead in the CNMI’s tourism market share at 48 percent, followed by China, which accounts for 38 percent market share, and Japan at 7 percent.
The other markets make up the remaining 7 percent.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has announced that Skymark Airlines plans to launch flights from Tokyo to Saipan, which the MVA believes will be the start of the revitalization of the Japan market.
The MVA’s goal is to have a much more diversified base of 30 percent coming from Japan, 30 percent from Korea, 30 percent from China, and 10 percent from Taiwan, Russia, and everywhere else.
