Saipanda or No Saipanda

There’s a little discussion about Saipan’s unofficial mascot going on over at Lil Hammerhead’s blog. It stems from the latest Variety article in which Congressman Reyes is calling for MVA to release the royalty numbers from sales of Saipanda merchandise as well as the elimination of this mythical creature altogether. Saipanda is part panda, part rhinoceros and was introduced in 1999 as the brainchild of a Tokyo advertising company contracted by MVA. It is said to symbolize the male Japanese traveler who is a repeat visitor and is crazy about Saipan.

(Saipanda at DFS store)

As you might imagine many people take issue with this being the CNMI’s calling card. They point to the fact that tourists might mistakenly think they are going to see panda bears when they visit the islands and that the creature has no significance to the local culture, flora or fauna. The congressman’s latest attempt to nix the creature is not the first by concerned lawmakers. Senators Pangelinan and Crisostimo raised the same concerns last year in this article from the variety.

Over the past eight years Saipanda has appeared in all shapes and sizes including a larger than life mascot that shows up for photo ops and big events such as inaugural flights and international trade shows. It is featured during the “Happy Children in Paradise” program every summer where travelers are met at the airport by the large cuddly creature and children receive Saipanda merchandise including backpacks and water bottles. The large DFS store in Garapan has a huge, towering replica situated in the middle of the souvenir section of the mall and thousands if not millions of people have had their picture taken standing next to it. Not to mention the many purchases of everything from T-shirts to key chains and chocolates bearing its likeness.

MVA also receives revenue from the sale of these tourist items and presumably uses that money to better promote the islands travel industry. How effective has it been? That’s a tough question and probably one that has not been thoroughly answered. In 2007 the variety reported:

“Only 32.2 percent of 1000 Japanese travelers surveyed were aware of the existence of the Saipanda campaign promoting the CNMI in Japan”.

I’m not sure I would suggest that 1/3 of the population being aware of Saipanda should be considered as “only” since that seems to be a pretty good market share to me. Could there be a better mascot, perhaps or even likely yes but at the moment this is what we have.

Anyway, the real question becomes a matter of importance and priority. With all the things MVA does or does not do and their pretty hefty budget of taxpayers dollars is this really the most pressing of issues. I mean if Saipanda actually makes money for the local economy and increases awareness of our destination in our primary market shouldn’t we turn our efforts to areas that really need to be addressed?

The development of a new mascot and branding the destination will take a lot of money and it is a crapshoot at best. While not trivial, development of a recognizable brand should take a back seat to that of efforts focused on ensuring everyone who visits our islands leaves with a memorable, positive experience and images of warm, friendly hospitality. If, for the moment, a souvenir bearing our mythical creature can conjure up a desire in Japanese families to return to our island paradise than so be it.

So, the parting question for today is, if you could be the head of MVA for a day, a month, a year, what would your priority be to improve tourism for Saipan, Tinian and Rota?

Trivia Question: Did you know that in 2001 MVA paid 7,000 for a new costume for Saipanda!

One Week eh! - Panic Setting In

Less than a week from now I'll be on a plane headed back to Canada for a family reunion!
I'd love to be able to say it will look like this but, the chances of me being able to wear shorts at sea level in March is pretty slim! The chance of me fitting into that shirt - even slimmer! I'll fight it for a while but ultimately I'll freeze my ass off in shorts and I guess this time there's the whole "set a good example" for the kid concept.

Monday morning is always a little crazy but, when I look at what's on the slate for the week and what needs to be done to get ready to go the thought of a big jump from the rock above enters ones psyche. I promise a report on my MVA meets the House day! I see in the tribune today they stand to receive some 7 plus million this year!

No doubt I'll need to find time for a giant stride entry one day before I go, just to preserve my sanity!

MVA speaks to the house today.

A big round of applause must go out to Tina Sablan for her efforts to keep the public informed. If you have not already checked out her blog you should. I came across this today after getting an email alert from another concerned citizen.

House Committee on Commerce and Tourism
Tuesday, February 26, @ 2:00pm, in the House Chamber, with the Marianas Visitors Authority to discuss MVA operations and other issues.

I think I'll have to see about attending this forum for an update since getting anything out of MVA besides the EMO warnings of volcanic haze 2 days late is next to impossible. Perhaps the legislators will have a little more luck than I.

I was asked on Harry Blalock's radio show last week if I felt MVA was doing everything it could to help promote diving here. As usual it was a long and loaded question from Harry but the short answer is NO - absolutely not! They are failing miserably.

That's not to say that a section of the diving market is not performing well but rather, that the limited success has nothing to do with MVA. The potential of the dive market with a well laid out plan that encompasses a world wide market is so much more than what we have now. But, this concept seems to be falling on deaf ears at MVA.

Up until now MVA has deferred their marketing "plan" to the Northern Mariana Dive Operators Association. NMDOA consists almost entirely of small, Japanese dive shops, most of which are not members of MVA. For the most part, over the years, these shops have done a good job spreading the word to the Japanese market. According to PADI stats from 2006, Saipan certifies nearly 15% of all new divers out of Japan. According to MVA's own stats divers make up nearly 20% of all Japanese tourist and about 25% of the 35% who come back for a repeat visit are also divers.

Even with these numbers NMDOA gets very little support from MVA, financially or otherwise.
Imagine if they did. Better yet, imagine if there was a plan set forth that did not narrowly promote to only one customer base through a group with no vested interest in the growth of the market as a whole! Imagine what could happen if the past success in Japan could be repeated for Korea, China, and Russia.

It will be interesting up on the hill today to hear if any of these thoughts have gotten though to anyone at MVA. No doubt they will ask the elected officials for more money. I'm sure more cash would be a good thing but, I'm also sure it wont solve MVA's most pressing problem(s)!

MVA say it needs $5.9M for ‘effective promotion’ of NMI

This is the headline for the story in the Marianas Variety this morning. Read the full article here.

Wow, anyone familiar with my efforts over the past year or more to help promote the CNMI especially when it comes to diving can probably guess my reaction to this article!

For those that don't know exactly what I've been doing you'll need to check back on this blog on a regular basis because I'll be filling you in a little more regularly as to what has been going on around here!

I love how "effective promotion" is quoted in the headline!

Don't get me wrong; marketing the CNMI effectively, especially with all the competition in this part of the world is not an easy task. With so many different countries as our potential customer base there are real difficulties with getting an effective message across to all that need to hear it.

But, is the issue really money? Yes Guam and Hawaii have huge budgets that we will never be able to compete with at the current rate but it's not all about the money. It's about the message and hitting the right demographics and the markets available to us. I made a post yesterday touching on the power of Youtube which costs absolutely nothing except the time to make the videos and that is just touching the surface on what can be done.

I can't even begin to tell you what could be achieved here with LOCAL talent should even a small amount of the money MVA throws away (and is now asking for more of) ended up in the hands of people who have already been making a difference on budgets that can't even pay the minimum wage!

As I say tune back in often for more! Unfortunately, right now I need to get out there and sell a few more DVD's to add to my budget for the next one!

USS Germantown

Almost two months ago to the day this big ship was in port! The USS Germantown.


When it and the crew were here Angelo wrote a good story and both the Tribune and Variety did stories as well.

I had planned to do a post about my experience back then but that was just about the time Christmas season got into full swing. In fact writing this now I'm reminded how I was unable to take the ship tour Angelo talks about because it was during the local artists Christmas bazaar and I was selling DVDs! More on that another time...

I recently received this in the mail! A note from Commander Steve Vincent himself!

I first heard about the ships arrival a few days before it was due primarily because I'm a member of the Chamber of Commerce and they alert us of the ships arrival. With a reception and the Adopt a Sailor program the Chamber attempts to welcome personnel as warmly as possible and ensure their experience here is as enjoyable as it can be. By the way MVA also alerts its members but that is usually on the day the ship arrives or after it leaves!

I also knew of the ships arrival a head of time (by now you must realize that the military really does not advertise it's moves) because of discussions within the dive community regarding how the industry would cope with a large influx of customers. This particular ship had a large crew, I believe upwards of 800 or so, and they were here for R&R after a tour in Iraq.

When I received the Chamber email I contacted Angelo and as Angelo does he organized a large clean up of Garapan on the Friday which just happened to be a "Daddy Day" for me and my first, "never to forget" memory of that weekend.


At the first word of a clean up this seasoned veteran was off to the races! She even made it on the 6PM news! Not only is she ready to work but she also turned out to be a pretty good little ambassador herself! It took her a bit but she was soon the entertainment!

She even met this fella who has the same first and middle name only reversed! How cool is that. Of course I'm not too sure how good I'll feel about her ability to attract so much attention when she's 18!

I didn't get to take many pictures. I had to keep a sharp eye out but, I did manage to talk to some of the guys and what genuinely came across was their desire to pitch in and help out as well as meet the people they are serving. The service men teamed up with students from Garapan Elementary and you could see everyone had a great time. Of course the other thing that stood out was just how young these guys were! I mean I know I'm getting up there but I felt OLD!

It was here I had my first opportunity to meet the Commander and some of the officers. While chasing a 22 month old around the post clean up BBQ I managed to hear a little bit of his appreciation for the warm welcome he and the crew were receiving as well as be part of conversations regarding far away wives, babies and kids. I honestly can't imagine it! They change so fast - to miss 6 months, a year or more at a time would devastate me.

It was here I was also able to pass on a DVD to Commander Vincent. Yep, I'll admit doing so is in part a PR move but, as I've discussed on this blog before, it also has to do with the joy of giving. After speaking with many of the crew it was obvious that not all of them - in fact most, were not going to experience our diving first hand so my DVD would bring it to them! At the time Commander Vincent expressed how he wished he'd had a copy on the way into port so he could have played it throughout the ship!

The second opportunity I had to meet some of the guys was at the Chamber reception held on the beach at the Hyatt. For a time I went into photograph mode. Only about 30 or so very similar sunset photos! No green flash.
Then on into the reception where former Chamber President Won Pon gave a plaque of appreciation.
Judge Wiesman who heads the Chambers Armed Forces Committee said a few words and also presented the commander with something but to be honest I've forgotten what!

And of course all the special people pose for a picture! That, by the way, was Executive Director Christine Parke's last official function - she will be missed.
Then another plaque and more gifts from the ship. This time it was Ruth Coleman from the Veterans Affairs office giving the one above while receiving her very own embroidered USS Germantown cap below!Another picture of the important people! Including Thomas in the red shirt. There's an inside joke with him in there which I don't have time to elaborate on but he'll get it because he knows I'm really bad with names!Another picture of the important people!

Besides all the warm remarks and happy faces and the open bar a couple of things stood out to me when the Commander made his remarks.

First, he commented on what a great reception they were given all over the island and that they really felt it was genuine and not a contrived effort on the part of the residents.

Second, he also took time to explain that when his crew come to a port like this they truly feel safe and can relax more easily than in other areas of the world where, although they may be among allies, they are not necessarily on sovereign land or among people with similar ideals! A R&R port stop in the Philippines or Africa for example does not necessarily come with the same comfort level as a US territory such as Saipan.

These factors coupled with our beautiful beaches, warm sunshine and clear waters make the islands an ideal retreat for these military personnel. To not take full advantage of such an opportunity on both sides would be ridiculous. Of course Guam can offer a similar atmosphere but with the military build up over there the number of service men / women that will want to get off that rock for a vacation is sure to increase as well!

The question is can we handle it? Specifically can the dive industry absorb large one-time influxes of English speaking customers? This is a debate that is going on within the dive community right now. One of the officers who had a great time diving with Speedy Tertle told me there was at least 60 certified divers and that, if they had of known about our diving, they potentially would have taken advantage of it. That does not even include those who want to learn or who dive but are not certified.

We cannot take this market for granted and should cater to it as much as possible. Another aspect of the commander’s comments that stuck with me was the importance his crew places on the service and ambassador roles that come with being a soldier.

I think Commander Vincent’s note clearly indicates there is a tool available to attract potential divers in the DVD as well as evidence that our natural resource deliver a world-class standard.

Now, the dive community, business and MVA need to work together to ensure these ambassadors have every opportunity to experience what we have and receive safe, world-class service. With this scenario will come a wave of word of mouth that can be spread around the rest of the world free of charge!

If a ship of 800 men and women spreading the word can use my DVD to help showcase what we have to the world then I think it's a little well placed PR. Besides, especially with notes like this, it just feels good to know someone has appreciated your work.

Thanks Commander Vincent and the crew of the USS Germantown - hope to see you again soon!