A premium culinary event that authentically showcased Okinawa’s cuisine and culture of longevity
Objectives
Okinawa is well known for its unique culture that fosters health and longevity. The destination is one of five blue zones in the world where residents live exceptionally long and healthy lives. One of our first face-to-face industry events following the impact of COVID-19, our aim was to inspire and engage with our trade and media partners to highlight Okinawa's culture in an interactive way.
Our role
- Event management
- Trade and media relations
Overview
On arrival, guests enjoyed cocktails prepared by Sydney’s only “Awamori Master”. Awamori is a distilled spirit unique to Okinawa - it is regarded as the “happiest spirit on earth”. This was followed by a cooking class with a mouth-watering menu that was specially prepared by highly acclaimed Japanese chef Mayumi Nagata. Guests tasted unique ingredients, learned about the Okinawan way of eating and uncovered the secrets to living a long and healthy life.
The Walshe Group’s Okinawa Tourism team also gave an interactive presentation and destination update. This included video that was specially recorded for this event that walked through the food markets in Okinawa. During the presentation we crossed live to the Royal Suite at Okinawa Spa Resort EXES to meet with our Okinawa Tourism colleagues in Japan and witness the stunning sunset from the resorts’ private pool live.
Outcomes
Not only were we able to create an interactive event through a hands-on cooking class, but we also created a connection virtually through the live cross to the hotel resort and specially recorded video. The event allowed us to showcase Okinawa to our key trade and media partners, to ensure the destination is top of mind when the borders re-open to Japan.
