23 January 2009

Ideas to increase the number of tourists to Saipan

A diverse group of individuals met to attend a brainstorming session to gather ideas to:1) get more tourists to come to Saipan, and 2) encourage them to shop and spend more money.

This is the topic statement: How can we get more tourists to visit Saipan, shop at local businesses, and spend more money?

How do we get more tourists to visit Saipan?
– Build a convention center to encourage more business and group conventions
– Encourage more athletic events that take advantage of our warm weather
– Take advantage of the Marine Monument advertising to promote events in the CNM
– Set up natural, extreme rides – for example, long zip lines in the ocean, rolling balls with people in them
– Zone areas on island that would be exempt from Article 12 to promote commercial development and attract new businesses and tourism
– Promote the CNMI as a “green” alternative power island. Tie in with monument and gateway to the Marianas Trench
– More comparative advertising that shows Saipan is closer to visit
– Legalize casino gambling on Saipan
– Legalize drug use and prostitution
– Shark cage diving
– Identify and promote to a new market to replace the Chinese (30K) and Russians (10K) in numbers and spending
– Have exotic/unique birthing centers to attract pregnant international women to have their babies
– All MVA promotions highlighting “most consistent temperature in the world” and “deepest water on the planet”
– “Highest mountain on the planet from the ocean bottom”
– Surf school for the Asian market. East swells are great here. Build a fake reef that will form a perfect wave
– Medical vacation tourism
– Promote more educational tourism in the CNMI. Have schools that attract more elementary to high school students, and assist NMC to attract more international students
– Charter a cruise ship that goes to all the Miconesian islands
– Get Michael Jackson or Paris Hilton to move here [Get a washed up singer who is popular in Asian to move here]
– Need a K-Mart or Wal-Mart store
– Have condominiums or housing to attract baby boomer tourists who want to get away from the cold weather for several months of the year
– Better public transportation
– Focus attractions on indigenous resources
– 250cc Enduro bikes that can be rented or sold
– Subsidize flights to Saipan

How do we get those tourists to shop at local businesses and spend more money?
– Have a brochure/map that would give points to tourists and pay businesses or groups a small percentage of purchases for giving the brochure to tourists
– Encourage more privately owned, public transportation so tourists can easily go to stores and attractions
– A children’s park and store for kids
– Have more brand stores or products. Local crafts should be priced reasonably
– Provide incentive programs (added value) to tourists visiting the CNMI

Now it's your turn. Do you have any other ideas, or comments to share about the ideas above?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good ideas. It would be nice to see an organization that has the resources, take some of these ideas and make them happen.

Anonymous said...

1)Saipan can host more marathons; such as running or walking. There are running clubs in Guam and the other islands and this can be an opportunity to attract those groups to Saipan to stay for a while and shope a bit.
2)Have more cultural events: Dance competitions (cultural and others) that would allow the islands to compete, maybe during one of the months when we get the most tourists. This will bring in locals from the other islands. This would be an opportunity to introduce our cultures in hopes to interest more tourists to come visit more often.
3)Have or host more competitions in sports: baseball, volleyball, basketball, and softball inviting all the neighboring islands.
4)Further
improvement/beautification of the tourists sites/destinations: Bonzai Cliff, Suicide Cliff, Grotto, and others; for example, install one of those binocular things at suicide cliff. Create path leading to a diving board or slide at Grotto.
5)Hiking adventures for tourists. If this is done already; try improving/beautifying the trails/paths.

Anonymous said...

Oh and maybe one or more of the hotels can hire someone who is interested to come in and show its guests/tourists the art of weaving. I am guessing hotels only have dance shows, why not have a small recreational activity such as that (weaving).