The Marianas Visitors Authority joined the leading travel trade show in Asia, ITB Asia, which was held on Oct. 25-27, 2023, in Singapore.
ITB Asia is an annual B2B trade show and convention for the travel industry designed to be the primary event for the Asia-Pacific travel industry.
Adopting the motto “Accelerating Growth: Paving the Way for New Opportunities in Travel & Tourism,” the conference gathered representatives of destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities, travel technology companies, and more from across the world. Over 160 speakers delivered more than 4,000 minutes of speeches in over 100 sessions over three days.
“The MVA’s attendance at ITB Asia 2023 was key for networking, gaining market insights, showcasing destination offerings, marketing and promotional opportunities, and industry collaboration,” said MVA marketing manager Thomas Kim. “The event also provided a platform to elevate the visibility and appeal of the Marianas as a travel destination.”
The show sparked lively discussions on topics critical to the future of MICE, corporate travel, leisure travel and travel technology.
“By participating in panel discussions, seminars, attending presentations, and engaging with thought leaders, we gained a deeper understanding of the evolving travel landscape. This knowledge can inform strategic decisions and help the MVA tailor its marketing efforts to effectively target and attract the desired visitor segments,” Kim added. “The event also had media representatives, travel influencers, and digital content creators, providing an opportunity for us to engage with them and generate media coverage for the Marianas.”
At the Marianas promotional booth, the MVA also distributed information about the Marianas and MVA member businesses and had 34 meetings with companies mainly from Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, as well as companies from China, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, the United States, and India.
Kim said the MVA will communicate and work with its new contacts on potential press trips, media promotions (video production, offline and online ads) and familiarization tours (media, influencer, travel agent) to increase exposure of the Marianas with the hopes of increasing travel demand from new markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and other countries listed under the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program.
Source : Saipan
