Palau bags top award in Japan diving fair
Koror- Palau bagged the top award as the Best Diving Area Overseas and second place for Best Dream Area Overseas at the annual Marine Diving Fair in Japan on April 6-8.
Palau Ambassador to Japan, Francis Matsutaro, and Palau Visitors Authority Managing Director Stephanie Nakamura received the award on behalf of Palau.
Several tourism-related companies in Palau also bagged awards during the fair. Palau Pacific Resort received first place for Best Hotel for Divers Overseas, Palau Sports received first place for the Best Liveaboard Overseas while Aqua Magic received second place as Favorite Dive Operator and third place as Favorite Dive Guide that was awarded to Yoshio Hori.
Tourism mainly fuels Palau’s economy. The industry specializes in scuba diving and snorkeling, capitalizing on the Pacific nation’s rich marine resources.
Marine Diving Fair, which drew over 50,000 guests, showcased such products as diving gears, equipment, and services, etc.
Japan has traditionally been an important key market for scuba diving related travels to Palau. Japan is the second largest market for the Maldives in terms of tourist arrivals since last 2014 after mainland China. In the past, Japan was the top market for Palau.
According to a press release, also attending the fair from PVA board members were Marie Anderson-Nabeyama and Tutii Chilton. Other agencies that who attended the show were the Palau National Marine Sanctuary office represented by Jerry Nabeyama, Program Coordinator for PNMS, Koror State Government was represented by Leslie Tewid, Gubernatorial Advisor, Kirby Sikyang, Tourism Liaison and Grace Ngirmechaet.
