What’s Yappening! Tourism Updates from Yap, Micronesia

Yap Visitors Bureau logo 2024

Press Release #4 of 2024

PRESS RELEASE

What’s Yappening! Tourism Updates from Yap, Micronesia
Manta Ray in Top 10, United’s Micronesia Fares, MCC Gala, Yap Day 2025, Visitor Arrivals

(April 3, 2024: Yap Visitors Bureau, Yap, FSM): Here’s some of the latest tourism news and happenings from Yap, one of Micronesia’s most unique destinations.

  1. Manta Ray Bay Resort Makes the Top 10The Tech Edvocate recently named Yap’s leading hotel and dive shop as one of the 10 best scuba diving resorts in the world for an aquatic adventure of a lifetime. This well-known online magazine that covers the education technology sector, cited Manta Ray Bay Resort and Yap Divers ability to offer tailored dive experiences focused on intimate encounters with Yap’s famous resident population of manta rays. In about a 150 days, the Resort will also be hosting the Pacific’s annual premier dive photography events, Manta Fest and Blackwater Fest.
  1. United’s Special Visit Micronesia Fares – As Guam and Micronesia’s hometown airline for over 50 years, United Airlines is offering special visit Micronesia fares. These discounted fares are valid until December 31, 2024, and allow for up to 5 stops in United’s many Micronesian destinations. The fares must be booked through a travel agent or United, travel must commence and terminate at a point outside of Hawaii, Guam, Saipan or a territory in Micronesia, and passengers must be a bona fide resident outside of the aforementioned countries.
  1. MCCs Ocean Gala to Have Strong Yap Theme – The Micronesian Conservation Coalition’s (MCC) 3rd Annual Ocean Gala is scheduled for May 11, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Guam, and will have very strong Yap tie-ins. A special award will be given to well-known scientist Margie Falanruw, who lived and worked for many years on Yap on numerous projects for the MCC. There will also be traditional dances performed by Yapese students attending the University of Guam (UOG). Videos made by the Yapese students during the Marine Island Ecology Courses from last June will also be shown at the Gala. Executive Director of the MCC Julie Hartup is currently in Yap continuing her work on the Yap Manta Ray Project, documenting and studying the habits of Yap’s mantas, thus helping to ensure their continued protection.
  1. Save the Date for Yap Day 2025 – Start planning to attend the 2025 Yap Day celebrations which will take place on and around March 1st, 2025. Yap Day is one of the premier and largest cultural events in all of Micronesia, which showcases and celebrates everything Yapese – traditions, culture, heritage, food, family, and community. The recently concluded 2024 Yap Day celebrations were very successful, with record numbers of visitors and dignitaries from around the world in attendance. Images and videos from the event can be found on the Yap Visitors Bureau’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
  1. Yap’s Tourism Arrivals Growing – Yap’s tourism sector continues to rebound following the Covid-19 pandemic. The island welcomed 2,313 international visitors in 2023, comprised of 1,795 stayover visitors and 518 cruise passengers. The strong performance in visitor arrivals continues, and the first 2 months of 2024 saw a 157% increase compared to the same period in 2023. “We attribute this continued growth of tourism in Yap to the comprehensive advertising, public relations, social media, and trade show attendance campaign we have been executing over the past year in the Guam, US and European markets,” commented Susan Gooliyan, General Manager of the Yap Visitors Bureau.

ABOUT YAP: Yap is an island in the Federated States of Micronesia, in the Pacific Ocean that is ringed by spectacular coral reefs and famous for its scuba diving with giant manta rays, sharks and mandarin fish. Other key activities on the island include kayaking, hiking, deep-sea fishing and exploring the many World War II historical sites. Yap is also uniquely famous for its stone money (huge disks of stone, which are still used today in major transactions), strong traditional culture and way of life, and welcoming residents. Just a short flight away from Guam or Palau, this Pacific gem is one of the tourism industry’s best kept secrets. For more information on visiting Yap go to www.visityap.com.

For Media Inquiries or Further Information Contact: 

Susan Gooliyan – General Manager
YAP VISITORS BUREAU, P.O. 988, Colonia, Yap, FM 96943

E: susan@visityap.com 

T: (691)-350-2298/5005

W: www.visityap.com 

PHOTO ATTACHMENTS (3):

Photo 1 – Caption: Manta Ray Bay Resort and Yap Divers

Manta Ray Bay Resort and Yap Divers Micronesia

Photo 2 – Caption: Visitors Dressed in Traditional Wear for Yap Day 2024

Visitors Dressed in Traditional Wear for Yap Day 2024 Micronesia

Photo 3 – Caption: Yap’s World Famous Manta Rays

Yap’s World Famous Manta Rays Micronesia