28 Years in the Making – Keeping the EDIT Program

Transcription

28 Years in the Making – Keeping the EDIT Program
KVB Newsletter for 3rd Quarter FY2011
KOSRAE VISITORS BUREAU
AN AGENCY OF THE KOSRAE
STATE GOVERNMENT
“Kosrae - The Jewel of Micronesia”
Contact: Kosrae Visitors Bureau, Telephone: (691) 3702228, Email: kosrae@mail.fm
WEBSITE:
July 15, 2011
www.kosrae.com
Table of Contents:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
7.
8
9.
Kosrae shows off its ware at the Australia Road Show
Media and FAM activities from April to June 2011
Promotional Calendar for rest of 2011
PATA Micronesia Meeting held in Kosrae
15th MCES in Pohnpei, FSM
KVB attended SCUBA SHOW 2011
KVB coordinated a Community Roadside Clean up
JOCV Volunteer represented Kosrae in Japan’s biggest Diving Fair
Announcements for Kosrae Visitors Bureau (Mark you calendar).
Kosrae attend Micronesia Road Show in Australia
On July 27, 2011, a road show was held at Grace Hotel in Sydney, Australia to update more than fifty
travel wholesalers and media reps in the greater New South Wales area who attended the road show organized by Continental / United Airlines and members of the Micronesia’s regional tourism industry.
The road show was represented by reps from Micronesian islands of Yap, Chuuk, Palau, Kosrae, Guam
and Continental’s Sales and Marketing Manager Lou Sanchez. Kosrae Island is one of the best kept secrets in Micronesia in terms of diving and Kosrae’s representatives highlighted Kosrae Island’s unique
selling points to the members of the travel and media in Australia. Since, it is one of the least known
destinations in Micronesia; a lot of interests for potential visitors were shown at the road show. In addition to product seminar presentations, tabletop displays of collateral materials and free giveaways were
provided by Kosrae participants.
“KVB continues to maintain its efforts in attracting the leisure visitors to Kosrae and look forward to tap
more of Australia’s dive market by collaborating with other tourist’s authorities within the region to
promote its unique tourism qualities and assets. Micronesia is truly a premiere destination that is still
unknown to the world and waiting to be discovered,” said Grant Ismael, KVB Administrator / PATA
Micronesia Chairman. “We will continue to support Continental / United Airlines’ efforts to expand its
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greater Australian market promotion activities for the dive segment and plan to attend future promotional events in Australia.”
Additionally, our contingency participated at the 44 th International Sydney Boat Show from July 28-29,
2011. There was some interest in hiking, archaeology, rain forest, snorkeling and the biodiversity of
Kosrae. KVB represented by Bruce Brandt and Kosrae Nautilus’s Josh Beitz worked the tradeshow
with a good mix of various Pacific islands and travel agents in a pavilion of the Pacific Islands. We
would like to take this time to express our very special appreciations to the following entities for coordinating this year’s AUS road show: PATA Micronesia Chapter, FSM Department of R&D (FSMVB),
Guam based Continental/United Airlines, Chuuk Visitors Bureau, Palau Visitors Authority, Yap Visitors
Bureau, Guam Visitors Bureau and last but not least United’s Australia staff and management.
Media and FAM activities from April to June 2011.
KVB had several promotional activities developed to attract the eco-tourism niche travelers to Kosrae in
the past quarter. Here are some of the activities conducted:
1. Facebook: 240 Lifetime Likes, up from 181, 21 NEW likes, up 40 percent over the last report, 127
monthly active users, up 5 percent. Page Views: 2794 page views.
2. Placements: an article of Kosrae Island to Athleta.com. The article will be posted soon in this high
end website.
3. TravelBlog writer, who we invited last year, has posted:
http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Micronesia/Kosrae/blog-58110
4. The Gutsy Traveler ran a short story on Kosrae last month.
Other stories in progress:
wandermelon.com will cover with a green travel piece this month.
Stars & Stripes is doing a story in July
www.millionbabyboomers.com will post a Kosrae story with video.
5. Upcoming potential stories on Kosrae island:
John Hamilton interview was postponed from May 2011, LA area radio talk show.
Beth Whitman is going to place a Kosrae story on Wanderlustandlipstick.com
TrekkerTime.com is going to use a Kosrae story
Remaining Promotional Calendar Year 2011 for KVB
Aug 26-30
Sep 8-11
Sep 29 – Oct 2
Oct 14-16
Oct 12
Oct 13
Nov 14-16
Dec 5-10
Dec 13-16
PATA-Mic 2nd Tri-Annual Chapter Meeting, Majuro (Micronesia)
Kosrae Liberation Celebration week
JATA World Tourism Travel Fair, Tokyo-Japan (Micronesia)
(GMIF) Guam Micronesia Island Fair, Guam (Micronesia)
(MWR) Guam Navy Travel Fair, Guam (Micronesia)
ITT Andersen Air Force Travel Fair, Guam (Micronesia)
Sea Trade Cruise Convention, Singapore (Micronesia)
Micronesian Chief Executive Summit (Kosrae FSM (Micronesia)
PATA-Mic 3rd Tri-Annual Chapter Meeting, Palau (Micronesia)
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PATA Micronesia held its 2nd Tri-Annual Meeting in Kosrae
Once again PATA Micronesia Chapter met in Kosrae after a
long eight year absent. The meetings
took place on April
29 to May 2, 2011 to
discuss regional collaboration projects
and how to promote
the region’s individual tourism destinations. Certain new
initiatives were discussed at the meeting including a regional branding project, a regional cruise ship
program to increase the leisure cruise visitors, the marketing and promotional projects for the rest of the
calendar year and to share issues and strategies in tourism. The newly formed regional cruise ship association, Micronesia Cruise Association, is a product of PATA Micronesia’s collaboration with the port
authorities from the Micronesian islands. This is a new and exciting initiative which is already gathering great results. The first cruise arrangement to visit Micronesia as a result of the new MCA’s work is
the Orion II cruise which will visit Micronesia in 2012 November.
Another area in which the chapter collaborated is in regards to
training and education initiatives set up to help the
tourism industries of each
island. The chapter is a
leading entity in creating
effective training programs
for the region all in one.
The next meeting is set for
Majuro in August 2011. The chapter hereby wishes to pay gratitude and sincere appreciations to Governor Lyndon Jackson
and leadership of Kosrae State for the wonderful hosting and all the hospitality the members felt during
the few days on Kosrae.
KVB Administrator attended the 15th MCES as PATA Micronesia Chairman
The Chief Executives of the Governments of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
(CNMI), the Territory of Guam (Guam), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and its States, Yap,
Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau (Palau) held their fifteenth Micronesia Chief Executives’ Summit (MCES15) in Kolonia, Pohnpei, FSM on
July 27 – 28, 2011. The 15th MCES meeting outcome included designation of Guam to host the Office
of Micronesia Center for a Sustainable Future (MCSF), the establishment of a Working Group to identify problems facing Micronesian Pension Programs and Social Security Systems and to propose regional
solutions, and the adoption of a Resolution authorizing the development of a regional ban on the harvest,
possession, sale, offer for sale and trade of shark fins in the oceans of the FSM, RMI, Palau, CNMI, and
Guam, and calling for the development of strategic framework in order to implement a marine-based
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conservation program of action that will establish the world’s first Regional Shark Sanctuary in the
northern Micronesia Region by 2012. The Summit also resulted in Decisions and Recommendations in
the focal areas of Health, Invasive Species, Tourism, Climate Change, Water and Sanitation. PATA Micronesia Chapter chairman presented an update report to the MCES leadership along with members of
the Tourism Subcommittee B. Aldis, E. Santos, Ms. Yoshida and Mr. Takahashi. The Tourism report
included such initiatives as the Branding Initiative, Micronesian Cruise Association, World Herotage
Nomination sites, and collaborative promotional programs for the region. The Communiqué and other
documents adopted during the Summit could be viewed on www.pohnpeimces.info.
KVB ATTENDED SCUBA SHOW 2011
On June 1-4, 2011, the KVB Administrator, Grant Ismael along,
with one member of the Kosrae tourism private sector
(Bruce Brandt of KVR) attended the Long Beach SCUBA Show 2011. During the
show, they registered around
400 people at the booth and the
seminar. A list of travel agents
and divers from the Southern
CA area along with dive consumers attended the Kosrae seminar on the first day and visited the
KVB booth within the span of two days. We had more than 25 people attended the seminar and at least
300 - 400 people stopped by the booth to talk to us. More than many of the booths around us. SCUBA
SHOW, Long Beach, CA - 6/1-4/11 (We also featured advertisement campaigns on the official 2011
SCUBA SHOW program guide and also on the flagship
magazine called California Diving magazine.
Approximately 29,000
readerships on California Diving magazine
saw the Kosrae ad).
Copies of the listing
collected at the tradeshow will be provided
to local hotel and dive
shop businesses for
Winners of the Kosrae Seminar raffle their appropriate uses.
giveaway include door prizes and the
KVB Administrator Grant Ismael
GRANDPRIZE: A roundtrip ticket to
talked to seminar participants at
Kosrae from LA, winner is Mr. Lee
the SCUBA SHOW in LA 6/2011.
Donahoe of Los Angeles, CA. 6/2011
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KVB Newsletter for 3rd Quarter FY2011
KVB helped to coordinate a Community Roadside Clean up
On April 22, 2011, the entire island population of Kosrae was mobilized to clean up all roadside trash
and collected them into trash bags. This efforts was possible by collaboration from the State and Municipal Mayors offices inn the four municipalities. Men, Women, school children and government and
business reps lined up the roadsides early morning of April 22, 2011 to participate in the clean up.
Some people use weed eaters, some cutting trees with machetes and some pick up trash. It was a desirable activity and the Governor was instrumental in allowing government staff to take leave to join this
effort. When our environment is clean, we feel clean and happy! The coordination of this campaign was
spearheaded by the Clean up task force chaired by Grant Ismael (KVB), Vice chairman, Thansley Kinere (Transportation office), and secretary Jason Jack (DREA office), and all Mayor’s offices. The task
force hereby wishes to thank all the Kosraean communities for the hard work, support and look forward
to continue to work together in future campaigns.
JOCV Volunteer attend Maring Diving Fair representing KVB
Aliksa Sigrah (Aliksa san) is his local name; he is from Tokyo from Murayama family and since he arrived in April just four months ago to work for KVB, many positive and promising prospects and programs had been initiated from the Japan market. Here below is Aliksa san’s trip to the Marine Diving
Fair in Tokyo and Kanku Tabihaku Festival in Osaka on July 5-19, 2011.
Main purpose of the Japan trip: Participating in Marine Diving Fair 2011, Tokyo:
From July 8, 2011 through July 10, 2011, on behalf of KVB, Aliksa san participated in Marine Diving
Fair in Tokyo. Marine Diving Fair is the largest tradeshow for
the divers and the resorters in Japan which attracts more than
50,000 visitors throughout 3 days. Aliksa’s main activities was
promotion of Kosrae tourism, especially about the marine activities such as diving and snorkeling, and collaborate with the
Rainbownesia Project which is an official project for FSM. The
Rainbownesia Project Team is engaged in gathering their supporters who can campaign along with them.
As a result of efforts from this tradeshow more than 1,137
people registered. These are prospects which will be listed in
the database for future direct marketing and sales. Participating
in Kansai Airport Travel Exhibition (Kanku Tabihaku) July,
2011, Osaka: From July 16, 2011 and July 17, 2011, on behalf
of KVB, Aliksa participated in Kansai Airport Travel Exhibition 2011 in Osaka. Kansai area is one of the most important
markets because the population of Kansai area is more than 20
million and Continental Airlines has daily and direct flight between Kansai airport and Guam airport.
The same strategies performed at the Marine Diving Faire 2011 resulted in registration of 834 people as
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KVB Newsletter for 3rd Quarter FY2011
well. Above all, the most important report I accomplished in this tradeshow is that I took place the seminar regarding of Kosrae tourism at Nikko Kansai Airport Hotel. Its cost was free. The total of 81 people
joined my seminar. I believe this seminar made audience understand how an exciting island Kosrae is
easily.
Secondary purposes: Aliksa san had a good meeting with the FSM Ambassador and reported Kosrae
tourism situation..He also met with staff to get update of the Rainbownesia and other collaborative activities for rest of 2011 and 2012. The first direct flight between Tokyo and Pohnpei is planning to launch
June 2012. The Rainbownesia Project Team asked KVB to try to gather some partners along with this
project in Kosrae and KVB offered that some of the charter passengers extend to Kosrae.
From left to right
T.Murayama from KVB
Ambassador J. Fritz
M. Fritz from CVB
T. Kasahara from CVB
The Rainbownesia Project Team and Embassy at FSM embassy of Tokyo
2. Sales calls with Japanese travel agencies and other relative companies:
This is probably the biggest most important thing from the trip. On July 12, 2011, a sales call with Diver, Inc., which a is publishing one of the most favorite diving magazines named “Diver” in Japan.
Through Aliksa’s strong negotiation, as a result, there’s an agreement allowing Kosrae Island to be featured in their company website blog to serialize a column about Kosrae tourism on their website twice a
month, its cost is free. This means KVB can introduce Kosrae’s nature, culture, people, local food and
so on with using their website “Diver Online”. This is a big opportunity to let Japanese divers know how
wonderful island Kosrae is. And Aliksa believe Kosrae will get very high exposure for its great lush island nature and beautiful diving place in Japan than you sure. This column is going to be started on August. There is also, sales call meeting with R&C Tours Co., LTD. which is one of the largest travel
companies covering the package tour of Micronesia area. They have their own package tours for Yap,
Chuuk, and Pohnpei, but they do not have only Kosrae. I asked him to make new package tour of Kosrae. However there are some issues for it. We will continue to negotiate more sales call with him again
to discuss the details at the end of September when we are going to Tokyo for participating in JATA
Travel Showcase. Also, a sales call with H.I.S. Co. which is the largest travel company for overseas travel industry in Japan. We foresee this new relationship is incremental to increasing visitors to Kosrae.
We will continue to pursue this relationship for JATA and future shows.
Other extra activities
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KVB Newsletter for 3rd Quarter FY2011
1. Meeting with Works-Press Co., Ltd. President Mr. Maekawa. Works-Press Co., Ltd. is a company in
Tokyo making and printing maps to inquire about future project for Kosrae map. Currently, this map
project is slated to be completed in September 2011.
2. Meeting with Koumeitsusinsha Inc. President Mr. Kayane. Koumeitsusinsha Inc. is Japanese publicity
agency and has widely connections in a variety of markets such as television, radio, and newspaper,
magazine and so on. Our main purpose to visit here was to expand our network in Japanese markets.
3. Meeting with Islands Flavour Co., Ltd. Managing Director Mr. Sato. Islands Flavour Co., Ltd. is one
of Japanese travel agency working the tours in Micronesia area had pledged to try to promote Kosrae for
their customers. His condition is for KVB provide good experiences for his clients. We are going to
meet him on JATA Travel Showcase 2011 in the end of September.
4. Meeting with Mr. Naoe who is an owner of a café named “Café de Noel kamiyacho” in Tokyo. This
is unofficially, the only publicity place of Kosrae in Japan. Mr. Naoe has been to Kosrae before and
promotes Kosrae to his guests. We provided brochures and leaflets of Kosrae to let him for his use in his
café. All Kosraean or Micronesian travelers are recommended to visit his shop Tokyo.
Owner Mr. Naoe
Kosrae Brochures
Café de Noel kamiyacho
Inside the Café
Aliksa san recommended that the trip be taken seriously and strategies should be planned out in advance. KVB should continue this tradeshows and aggressively participate. He will be doing his best to
make things happen. He is also coordinating oter projects currently at KVB; which is the Japanese
translation of the FSMVB website with FSMVB counterpart; started a official Kosrae Tourist Map
project which is due in September; initiated the new Kosrae Japanese language guidebook; KVB website
translation project, Kosrae tour itinerary formats; invited several prospective travel media and travel
agents to visit Kosrae; and many more.
Kosrae Visitors Bureau ANNOUNCEMENTS
PATA Micronesia Membership application available at KVB
In collaboration with the PATA Micronesia chapter, KVB hereby wish to invite interested company, individuals who wishes to join PATA Micronesia Chapter as a member to call KVB office or visit to get
the application forms. One can visit the website www.magnificentmicronesia.com to get the application
online.
Next Kosrae Roadside Clean up Campaign:
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KVB Newsletter for 3rd Quarter FY2011
The Clean Kosrae Task will hold its quarterly meeting in August to plan on the next event. There will
be shoreline clean ups, beaches, underwater clean up and mangrove areas clean up campaigns in addition to roadside and towns.
KVB Training Schedule for 2011:
KVB had coordinated four applications nominating following individuals for the China Human Resources Trainings from first part of calendar year 2011 (January to August).
1. Angie Raffilman – Tourism Professional Development from August 9 to August 31, 2011 (Beijing).
2. Larry Ittu – Tour Guide from August 2 to September 19, 2011(Beijing).
3. Hemilson – Tour Guide from August 2 to September 9, 2011(Beijing).
4. Norston Siba – Hotel Management from August 31 to September 26, 2011 (Harbin).
It is hoped that when these trainees return home to Kosrae, they will be able to put their skills to work by
transferring skills to other members of the community who are interested in these fields. Plans are on
the way to organize such workshops and trainings on standby pending their arrivals back to Kosrae. It’ll
be fun to learn what these trainees can bring to the local community and especially the tourism industry.
Be on the look out for the announcements of these upcoming workshops.
ABOUT THE ISLAND OF KOSRAE
Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Kosrae is a peaceful spot infused with the Kosraean culture,
and an adventure and eco-traveler's paradise. This internationally acclaimed dive destination is one of
the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and has a population of some 7,000 people.
An island with majestic vertical elevations, Kosrae's lush green interior is surrounded by one of the
world's most pristine reef systems and white coral beaches on the island's rim. To learn more about Kosrae's secret delights, go to http://www.kosrae.com , Twitter: @KosraeIsland or call 691-370-2228/2187,
Fax: 691-370-3000. ###
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