Recently, a brand-new one-stop Saipan tourism information and booking review platform—Go to the Island (www.qudaowan.com)—has quietly launched. Judging by its service model, it combines the most popular online booking, member reviews, and mobile services. The launch of this new tourism service platform serves as a window for young Chinese travelers heading to Saipan for DIY trips to access local tourism information, while also representing a significant disruption to the current "charter flights + hotel + optional activities" package-style conventional tourism model in the domestic Saipan travel market.
The website focuses primarily on tourism information about Saipan in the United States, providing domestic travel enthusiasts with objective, accurate, and timely hotel booking information and local tourism service guides. It also introduces promotions on dining, entertainment, and more to the local Chinese community, creating a powerful and convenient Saipan tourism lifestyle service platform.
With an international visual style, the website greatly enriches the range of Saipan tourism offerings, better showcasing the international tourism image of "Saipan—the Pearl of the Western Pacific." The site offers content such as "Hotel Booking," "Dining Reservations," "Activity Bookings," "Travel Information," and "Visitor Reviews," helping domestic travelers easily and conveniently access the most cost-effective Saipan travel information. Reporters also specifically compared some activity prices listed on the website with those offered by traditional travel agencies for the same items. For example, the Journey to Gun Beach tour is priced at $20 per person on the website, while conventional travel agencies charge up to $35 per person—a price difference of 75%.
For this reason, reporters specifically contacted Ms. Luo, the head of MTSI (Micronesian Tour Service, Inc.), the Saipan-based ground operator behind the website. When discussing the motivation behind building the platform, Ms. Luo candidly stated, "Saipan tourism has developed significantly over the past decade and is now very mature. But currently, domestic Saipan packages are all all-inclusive, preventing consumers from arranging their own hotels and meals. Moreover, the tour options are quite limited. We've also noticed that some individual operators on Saipan have begun receiving Chinese tourists. To better deliver the most authentic and professional Saipan tourism services to Chinese travelers, we began considering directly entering the Chinese market." "In addition to offering Chinese consumers the most cost-effective hotel bookings, we have also specially developed new tour packages, hoping to provide Chinese visitors to Saipan with a comfortable and personalized holiday!"
In 2013, Saipan received a total of 110,000 Chinese tourists. Entering 2014, China has successively opened direct flight routes such as "Hangzhou–Saipan" and "Tianjin–Saipan." By the end of January, there were 12 direct flights to Saipan per week from within China. Additionally, regular flights operated by Asiana Airlines, Pan Am Airlines, and others, along with Saipan’s visa-free policy for Chinese tourists, have made this Pacific island just a 4–5 hour flight away from China a favorite island destination among Chinese travelers. At the same time, with the introduction of the new tourism law, DIY travel is increasingly becoming a new model for overseas trips. MTSI’s entry into the Chinese market via "Go to the Island" (www.qudaowan.com) is clearly targeting the huge business opportunity presented by China’s DIY travel market.
It is reported that MTSI is the largest and most professional tour reception company in Saipan, with over 10 years of experience in Saipan ground services. Its main clientele come from China, Japan, South Korea, and other regions, having served a cumulative total of 500,000 tourists. MTSI maintains strong cooperative relationships with star-rated hotels, A-level restaurants, and professional tourism service providers (diving, car rentals, etc.) on the island. It independently develops Saipan tourism packages and owns the island’s largest fleet of passenger buses. According to Ms. Luo, to prepare for the arrival of Chinese tourists through "Go to the Island," over 50 professional guides at MTSI on the island have completed a specially designed "MTSI Chinese DIY Tourist Training Course," aiming to deliver the best possible customer service experience for Chinese visitors.
Currently, the "Go to the Island" service platform can be accessed via computer or mobile web. MTSI is continuously improving the website’s functionality and content, and will gradually establish an integrated communication system including multi-language sub-sites, apps, and social media, providing even better service to all Chinese tourists traveling to Saipan.