GVB president meets Palau president to discuss potential tourism packages
Former Gov. Carl Gutierrez, president and CEO of the Guam Visitors Bureau, led a team to Palau to meet with President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. and tourism officials to discuss opportunities to partner together to promote tourism in Palau and Guam.
They discussed working together on tour packages that would potentially route tourists to Guam and then Palau, or vice versa, from Asian markets.
Palau and Guam both rely on tourism as primary economic engines. GVB expects tourism numbers to reach about 60% of pre-COVID-19 this year but that requires aggressive action to attract tourists. That's where Gutierrez hopes to work with Palau, which has seen increased visitor numbers. According to Palau Visitors Authority, Palau had a total of 4,427 visitors in January 2024, marking a 10% rise from December 2023 and a significant 122% increase from January 2023. China led the arrivals, comprising 34%, followed by USA/Canada at 21%, and Taiwan at 18%. Japan's arrival numbers have steadily grown since November 2023, now accounting for 12% of arrivals. Europe, South Korea, and others collectively represent 15% of arrivals.
TUMON, Guam — Speaker Frank F. Blas Jr. and former Guam Community College President Mary A.Y. Okada formally announced their candidacy for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, during a public event held at the Crowne Plaza Resort Guam in Tumon.
The Jan. 21 ruling on the Federal Register (CHamoru Standard Time) on deep sea mining establishes a consolidated permit application for deep sea mining and commercial recovery.
The Port Authority of Guam has filed a petition with the Guam Public Utilities Commission to update a limited portion of its tariff. As the public review process moves forward, it is important to explain clearly what this filing does, what it does not do, and why it is being brought now.
Guam’s economy is entering a transitional phase marked by rebounding tourism, record defense spending and persistent workforce constraints, speakers said during the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Economic Outlook Forum at the Dusit Thani Guam Resort on Jan. 15.
