Interest in tourism to the Mariana Islands continues to increase among Japanese residents following a series of collaborative promotions between the Mariana Islands Visitor Authority and United Airlines.
Since September, United has operated three weekly flights between Narita and Saipan. Most recently, United partnered with MVA to air two episodes of Japan’s Asahi Broadcasting Corporation’s national travel show “Tabi Salad” in January 2023, generating $2.7 million in advertising exposure for the Marianas . The show has a national average rating of 10%.
“The production idea of ’Tabi Salad’ was originally initiated by United Airlines, and thanks to MVA’s media promotion to the production company and United Airlines’ aerial support to the film crew, we were able to bring the production to Saipan and received good reviews MVA Acting Manager Zhu Judy C. Torres said: “These two episodes have had tremendous exposure since they aired. “We’ve seen a clear increase in inquiries and bookings after the show. “
The Japanese MVA official website receives an average of 1,600-2,000 page views per day. After the first broadcast on January 14, the website received 3,200 pageviews in a single day, and after the second broadcast on January 21, the website received 8,700 pageviews in a single day. United Airlines also reported 500 new bookings to Saipan in the two weeks following the airing.
“United is committed to the success of the Narita-Saipan route and we have been working closely with MVA since the route opened last September to raise awareness among Japanese traveling to the Northern Mariana Islands. We understand this direct service importance to residents, and how it can support the recovery of the tourism industry,” said Sam Shinohara, United’s Managing Director, Airport Operations, Asia Pacific. “We are very pleased with the attention this travel fair has brought to the Northern Mariana Islands, and our combined PR and sales teams in Japan will continue to look for opportunities to promote the Northern Mariana Islands as a premier travel destination.”
United Airlines continues to conduct aggressive marketing and promotional activities to increase the visibility of the Mariana Islands destination. On February 25, 2023, the inaugural United Cup will be held at the Coral Sea Resort in Saipan, with players from Japan. Previously, the airline also provided media and travel agencies with air transportation in August, September and October to obtain media reports on the destination and first-hand experience in Marianas tourism product development. (MVA)
