The following is a news release from the Office of the Governor of the CNMI:
As part of the CNMI’s efforts to expand the Japanese tourism market to the CNMI, Governor Arnold I. Palacios is in Japan this week for a three day visit to meet with high-level Japanese government representatives, travel representatives, airline representatives, and other travel-related organizations.
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He is scheduled to meet with the representatives of the following agencies:
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U.S. Embassy in Japan
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Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA)
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JATA is a general incorporated association sanctioned by the Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency. It consists of over 1100 travel agency memberships. It contributes to the development of the travel and tourism industry, promoting international and domestic travel.
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Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation, and Tourism
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Japan Airport Terminal Company Executive Vice President
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Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry
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Various Travel Agents and Travel Representatives
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JTB Corp.
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JTB Corp. is one of the leading travel agencies in Japan and is the largest one.
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It has over 380 branches in Japan (used to be 480 before the pandemic). The company was established in 1963 (its predecessor Japan Tourist Bureau was established in 1912) and has since developed into a conglomerate. JTB’s sales in 2019 was JPY13,000 billion and almost doubled that of HIS.
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H.I.S. Co. Ltd.
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H.I.S. Co. Ltd. is one of the leading travel agencies in Japan.
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H.I.S. has 158 branches in Japan plus 170 branches in 118 cities of 60 countries abroad.
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United Airlines
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Skymark Airlines
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Rakuten Travel Organization
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One of the meetings Governor Palacios has had is with the Japan Minister of Defense, Yasukazu Hamada
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Mr. Yasukazu Hamada is a Japanese politician who currently serves as the Minister of Defense of Japan since August 2022, previously serving from 2008 to 2009.
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The brief visit to Japan emphasizes the Governor and Lieutenant Governor’s commitment to working with the Japanese government and travel partners to help increase the number of visitors from Japan to the CNMI.
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Governor Palacios will be sharing the highlights from his meetings with the different agencies and agents throughout the week.
2 Comments
elkapitan
04/05/2023 at 8:28 AM
The home front NMI) should have been fixed first before soliciting from Japan and this “junket” even from the past Admin. when they had so much Fed. money that they squandered. The tourist sites, public restrooms, beaches etc.
Unfortunately the prediction is this will go the way of the past with no significant increase in Japan tourist compared to per-pandemic numbers.
Also travel to Japan still need negative testing etc.
Russ Mason
04/09/2023 at 1:01 AM
Palacios et al. made a mistake by not working with, or even inviting, the Chinese.
It is they, loaded with cash, who could plunk down $22,000 for a Chanel handbag at DFS. I know this because my stepson sold the Chinese woman the bag, and made a tasty commission as a result.
For some Japanese, there is still resentment against the US, as well as the Chinese. Plus the average Japanese tourist doesn’t have the money that the Chinese have.
It was the Chinese who made the Hard Rock Casino a success. The casino ought to have stopped there, but it didn’t. So the garish Garapan monstrosity is similar to the La Fiesta fiasco: pies in the skies, with a lamentable ability to think clearly or rationally.
The future. What’s that?