The debut episode has Nelson and Montgomery exploring Japan. It airs at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 on Oregon Public Broadcasting and will be streamed beginning in mid-December on Amazon Prime Video. It will also air on Channel 4 in Hawaii and on Channel 2 in Saipan later this month.
In the first episode, the pair explores cutting-edge automation technology being introduced to the hospitality industry in Tokyo. They also look at the impact of automation on the workforce.
“The Japan episode is a combination of fact, future, and fun. We wrapped shooting in Tokyo, just prior to the pandemic and the country shutting down, so our first episode looks at where things were and where they could be going when travel resumes,” says Nelson.
“Automation is already having a big effect on the travel industry, and it looks like it will be accelerated by the current pandemic. We do interesting things like visit a Robot Restaurant, check into a hotel staffed by robots, and look for the world’s best toilet,” says Montgomery.
The show was written by Nelson who has produced travel segments that include climbing to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, mountain biking on The Inca Trail in Peru, hiking the Milford Track in New Zealand, snorkeling between continents in Iceland, and building artificial reefs in Indonesia.
“Travel is always more interesting with a purpose. We’ve never been too interested in sightseeing, we like to dig into the doing part. We loved traveling and shooting in Japan, and it was great to shoot with Ben and Todd. I think viewers will be entertained and learn something too. We are excited that the show has been picked up by Oregon Public Broadcasting, and KITV in Honolulu,” continues Nelson.
Montgomery now lives in Bend, Oregon. He spent many of his formative years in Saipan. He met his wife at the Pacific Islands Club tennis courts, and co-hosted a TV show with Nelson called “Eye on the CNMI.” The pair decided to reunite forces for this new travel show with more episodes to come.
The show is shot primarily in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Niigata, Chiba, and Odaiba and includes exploration as well as a casual interview style shared by Nelson and Montgomery.
“Consumers are going to one day see these incredible technologies when they begin to travel again, and automation is going to have a big impact not just to save on labor costs, but now for public health reasons as well,” continues Montgomery.
Future episodes of “Tech Trek” will continue to focus on travel, the future of work in the travel sector, and what a post-Covid-19 recovery may look like around the globe.
Montgomery served as a corporate director for Starwood Hotels and as a senior consultant for PROS Pricing, both in the Asia Pacific market. He joined OSU-Cascades as an executive-in-residence and instructor in 2013 and helped launch the hospitality management degree program in 2015. He is the Robin and Curt Baney Professor for Teaching Excellence in Hospitality Management.
Nelson is currently the executive producer for Flame Tree TV, KSPN2 News, and The Visitors Channel. He is a member of the MVA board of directors, and is the founder of Marianas Trekking and Guam Adventures.
Atalig has been producing local television in the CNMI and Guam since 1994. He has worked as a production assistant, floor director, and technical Director. He annually produces the 4th of July Parade and has helped produce several documentaries. He is currently in charge of production at Flame Tree TV.
