By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE Marianas Visitors Authority has unveiled a new global destination strategy, “Far from Ordinary,” which it described as a “holistic branding platform aimed at travelers seeking deeper, more meaningful experiences.”
Presented by Australian creative agency Circul8 during MVA’s general membership meeting Friday at Saipan World Resort, the new brand reimagines how the Marianas presents itself to the world — drawing from global marketing analysis and community engagement.
Circul8 Managing Director Alana Stocks said the strategy goes beyond conventional tourism promotion.
“The strategy isn’t just a marketing campaign — it’s a holistic platform that speaks to travelers, local residents, and potential business partners alike,” Stocks said.
She added that the brand challenges the typical tropical paradise narrative.
“The Marianas is positioned as a destination of extraordinary contrasts — where underwater museums sit alongside ancient cultural sites, and the world’s deepest ocean mystery, the Mariana Trench, lies just beyond the horizon,” she said.
Circul8 Creative Strategy Director Phil Watson said the brand promises experiences that transcend typical vacation expectations.
“It’s a place where history, culture, and natural wonder converge in unexpected ways,” Watson said.
Reflecting on the agency’s visit, Watson shared insights from their immersive research.
“We spent nine days here. We met quite a few people. We went everywhere. We did some workshops. We got a really great in-depth understanding of how the place really feels,” he said. “The strong thing that comes out — the really clear thing — is that the truth of the Marianas is that there’s a lot more than just blue waters.”
Watson emphasized that the brand is built on the Marianas’ unique blend of assets.
“It’s not about one feature. It’s actually about this extraordinary combination of things that are very unusual compared to a lot of other places,” he said. “That, of course, is the combination of culture, history, landscape, ocean — and let’s not forget that much of the world knows the Marianas through one of the world’s deepest mysteries, the Mariana Trench.”
“We put all of these things together to find a kind of strategic spark,” Watson continued. “It’s this combination of experiences that makes the Marianas a long way from people’s ordinary expectations and their ordinary lives.”
He described the brand’s core promise as a call to both visitors and residents.
“The Marianas is an extraordinarily diverse fusion of unique culture, history, and nature,” Watson said. “That’s where we find our brand platform — the big organizing idea. A single-minded promise to inspire those who seek something beyond their lives and beyond the ordinary destinations they know. Crucially, it’s also to inspire the people of the Marianas to take pride in their extraordinary home and history.”
Circul8 also introduced a new logo featuring latte stones and the Marianas’ 14 islands. The new mascot, Mira — a friendly dumbo octopus from the Mariana Trench — symbolizes the destination’s “mysterious and welcoming nature.”
Key brand pillars
• Cultural authenticity: Celebrating indigenous Chamorro heritage.
• Diverse experiences: From historical sites to unique natural landscapes.
• Sustainable tourism: Aligned with growing traveler preferences for meaningful travel.
Market potential
The strategy is backed by tourism research indicating that:
– 57% of travelers seek deeper, more meaningful destination experiences.
– Cultural tourism is projected to grow 14.4% annually.
– The Marianas is uniquely positioned to capture this emerging market.
– Target markets include South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, the United States, and Europe — potentially including the United Kingdom and Germany.
The brand represents a bold statement: The Marianas is not just a place to visit, but a destination to be experienced, understood, and remembered.
MVA Managing Director Jamika Taijeron said the new identity reflects a long-term vision.
“Building a stronger Marianas means rebuilding, rebranding, and reimagining tourism for the future,” Taijeron said. “Over the past six months, we’ve invested in laying the foundation for a brand that can carry us into the next 20 years and beyond.”
“This new identity is something we can all build upon — our residents, our businesses, and our visitors together,” she added. “Unified under one strong and authentic Marianas brand, our focus in FY26 is to enhance the visitor experience by strengthening the quality, accessibility, and cultural authenticity of on-island offerings.”
Taijeron said MVA will “drive sustainable visitor demand through strategic partnerships, diversified source markets, and targeted digital marketing campaigns.”
“We will strengthen stakeholder alignment and industry resilience by fostering unified cross-sector collaboration that supports long-term growth and sustainability,” she said. “Through these efforts, we will develop new tourism products, boost demand, and renew investor confidence in the Marianas.”
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.