July has been a busy month for Rainbownesia Project, a promotional concept for the Federated States of Micronesia currently in joint collaboration between the FSM Embassy in Tokyo, the National and State Visitors Bureaus, and the Rainbownesia Team.
The first to kickoff the hectic schedule was the annual 3-day event of Marine Diving Festival (MDF) held in Ikebukuro, Tokyo from the 8th – 10th of July. Although the first day was rather slow at 8,021 visitors, the number quickly picked up during the weekend. The second day saw a total of 23,987 visitors, and the final day total was 19,835 visitors.
Although there was speculation this year that the downturn of Japan’s economy following the 3.11 disaster will show unfavorable turnout of visitors, the total show up was just slightly less than the previous year (51,916) and stood at 51,843 visitors. According to the MDF Executive Committee, 80.2% of the total visitors were divers.
Representatives from Kosrae State Visitors Bureau and Chuuk State Visitors Bureau were present at the fair promoting FSM and their respective states. From Japan side, the Rainbownesia Team and the Tourism Advisor participated in the fair. Also present were tour operators from the State of Yap.
In this 3-day long event, the Rainbownesia Team was able to recruit 1,130 mail members and supporters of the Rainbownesia Project. The members were given a Rainbownesia Supporters Card that will allow them special benefits at designated Alliance Shops in the FSM. Members are also given interesting and useful information of the islands via periodic mail magazines prepared by the Rainbownesia Team.
The second event of the month, Kanku Tabihaku 2011, was held in Osaka Prefecture at the Osaka International Airport on the following weekend of 16th – 17th July. Although there was no official count, the Kanku Tabihaku Executive Committee estimated the visitor number at 13,000 on the first day, and 19,000 on the second day, totaling about 32,000.
Present at this event were representatives from Chuuk State Visitors Bureau and Kosrae State Visitors Bureau along with the Rainbownesia Team and the Tourism Advisor. Also present to show support was the Honorary Consul General of Kinki Region, and members of a longstanding association of FSM fans called Friends of Micronesia.
The Visitors Bureau, Rainbownesia Team, and the Honorary Consul General jointly hosted a seminar introducing the wonders of FSM. The Rainbownesia Team was also able to gather 824 mail members and supporters for this event.
The third event of the month, Pacific Cultural Art Festival, was held in Komazawa Olympic Park, Tokyo, on the following weekend of 23rd – 24th July. Although the nature of the event was predominantly Polynesian and Hula based, the Rainbownesia Team was able to gather 220 supporters and mail members. The FSM Embassy in Tokyo, along with the Tourism Advisor and the Rainbownesia Team took part in this event.
After 3.11, various events and activities were either postponed or cancelled altogether. For the same reason, the Marine Diving Fair, originally schedule around April of every year, was postponed to July. Along with the upcoming JATA Tabihaku 2011, these events offer major promotion opportunities for our small nation. With the help from the Embassy, the Visitors Bureau, and local tour operators, the Rainbownesia team was able to gather a total of 2,174 members for the three events held in July. Despite the damaged economy, it seems that Japan still holds a vibrant tourism market.
Another event, the JATA Tabihaku 2011, scheduled to be held in Tokyo from the 1st – 2nd October, is the last major tourism promotion event of 2011. This event will also be the deciding factor in the success of the planned direct flight from Japan to FSM, one of the most ambitious projects spearheaded by the Rainbownesia Project.
The Pohnpei International Airport which is currently under construction with assistance from Japanese ODA is schedule to be completed before summer of 2012. To commemorate this completion of the runway and other airport facilities, there is a plan to fly a direct flight from Japan to FSM. How well the National and State Visitors Bureaus, or the Government for that matter, can utilize the Rainbownesia Project in the final push to promote FSM during this upcoming JATA Tabihaku 2011 will undoubtedly affect the success of the planned direct flight and, hence, the number of Japanese visitors to our islands. It is no understatement to say that the fate of our Tourism Industry depends heavily on this final promotion event.
