Norkio Akari of Sakura Marine accepts an award naming the Marianas as #2 Best Diving Area Overseas during the Marine Diving Awards in Tokyo, Japan on April 5, 2024.
The Marianas Visitors Authority promotes diving opportunities and other attractions in the Marianas at the Marine Diving Fair in Tokyo, Japan on April 5-7, 2024.
The Marianas — Saipan, Tinian, and Rota — was voted #2 Best Diving Area Overseas at the Marine Diving Awards on April 5, 2024.
(MVA) — The Marianas — Saipan, Tinian and Rota — was named #2 Best Overseas Diving Area Overseas during the Marine Diving Awards presented at this month’s Marine Diving Fair in Tokyo, Japan.
Marine Diving Fair is Asia’s largest Scuba diving exhibition, and the Marine Diving Awards are determined by the online vote of divers across Japan.
Diving opportunities in the Marianas were touted by the Marianas Visitors Authority to nearly 29,000 attendees at the fair. This year MVA hosted two information booths at the event, held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (April 5-7), at Ikebukuro Sunshine City.
“As diving is one of our biggest attractions in the Marianas, the Marine Diving Fair has been a part of MVA’s annual promotions calendar for many years, and we are humbled that Japanese divers continue to consider our islands one of the best places to dive overseas,” said MVA Managing Director Christopher A. Concepcion. “It shows that as a diving destination, the Marianas holds its own alongside countries like Palau, the Philippines, Tahiti, Fiji, and others. This is an encouragement for the government, business sector, and community to keep up our efforts to preserve and protect our diving sites and ensure our visiting divers have a safe and memorable experience.”
The fair is joined by 76 exhibitors, including major diving equipment and camera manufacturers, and educational institutions such as PADI and SNSI. The event attracted a wide range of users, including non-divers interested in the ocean, as well as a growing number of foreign English-speaking divers. Stage presentations were also made by renowned Japanese underwater photographers, and discussions were held on marine environments and safe diving practices.
Joining MVA staff in promoting the Marianas were representatives of several dive shops: Miyuki Ishihara of Dive House ANCLAH, Tomoe Yoshida of Bigeye, and Noriko Akari and Yumiko Tanaka of Sakura Marine. In addition to sharing information about diving and other visitor opportunities in the Marianas, the MVA promoted flight services to Saipan from Tokyo by United Airlines and conducted a survey among participants.
As self-reported upon arrival to the Marianas last fiscal year, nearly 1,000 individuals and families to the Marianas indicated their intention to dive. The 33rd Marine Diving Fair is scheduled for April 4-6, 2025.
