Iwakuni, Japan – December 7th, 2018 – Today, retired Marine and economic development professional, Jeff Koffel, and 468 Communications, launched the free Iwakuni Insider app to help onboard overseas Marines and their families stationed at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni in Japan. Iwakuni Insider rewards people for exploring the local businesses and points of interest surrounding the MCAS.

Once Marines and their families use the app to collect points at various destinations outside the base, they can redeem those points for rewards on base. The app was created using the 468 Insider platform provided by 468 Communications. Before moving to Japan, Koffel, who is spearheading this onboarding tool, previously used 468 Insider to promote tourism and economic development in Washington State.

“I’ve seen first-hand how 468 Insider creates more engagement in – and appreciation for – a community,” said Koffel, former Executive Director of the Tri County Economic Development District. “This incentives-based approach is perfect tool for helping newly stationed Marines get acquainted with their new home.”

Iwakuni Insider will show new Marines and their families where to go and reward them for going there. The app also creates incentives for long time base residents to more deeply explore the community surrounding them.

Iwakuni Insider is both a wayfinding tool and a gamified way to reward Marines, Sailors, and their families for exploring the town outside the base. The app’s Explore button takes users to the map of Iwakuni, which has pins indicating the location of the area’s unique points of interest, from cultural sites to places for outdoor recreation. Destinations of interest, restaurant, retail shopping, and personal services locations are assigned a point value. Pushing the “Collect Points” button while physically visiting a location will add the location’s points to a user’s point total. Once Marines and their families use the app to collect points at various destinations around Iwakuni, they can redeem those points for rewards.

Points accumulated with the Iwakuni Insider app can be redeemed for goods or services on the base. At launch, points accumulated will be redeemable for gifts cards for on base shopping. Iwakuni Insider is available as a free download on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

About Iwakuni and MCAS Iwakuni

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni or MCAS Iwakuni is a United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan. Tourists from both Japan and overseas who visit Hiroshima and Miyajima often extend their travels to include Iwakuni. It is home to the famous Kintai Bridge, Kikko Park, Iwakuni Castle and dozens of festivals held throughout the year.

About 468 Insider

Available from 468 Communications, 468 Insider is a customizable mobile app that drives visitor engagement and commerce for communities by rewarding users for visiting places. Communities can easily customize the look and feel, locations and content in their own, branded apps. An online control panel provides valuable data including the popularity of individual destinations, periods of peak activity, and what part of the world visitors are from. For more information visit www.468insider.com