BY DANIEL M. PEREZ
Journal Staff
TUMON, Guam — The Guam Visitors Bureau is prioritizing critical infrastructure repairs and addressing the economic impact of rising aviation fuel costs to stabilize the island’s tourism industry. During a media roundtable held on April 28, Régine Biscoe Lee, president and CEO of GVB, detailed a $2 million allocation for market impact programs as jet fuel prices account for 20% to 30% of airline operating expenses.
The surge in fuel costs has led to increased surcharges, threatening visitor arrival numbers from key source markets. Lee explained that the bureau is monitoring these external pressures closely to ensure Guam remains a competitive destination. "Jet fuel really surged in the last few weeks," Lee said, noting that the bureau is utilizing its budget to support programs designed to sustain traveler interest and flight frequency despite the rising costs.
Physical restoration of the tourism district remains a primary objective, specifically the repair of streetlights damaged by recent weather events. Frank P. Arriola, vice president of GVB, reported that 65% of the 400 streetlights installed along Pale San Vitores Road and surrounding areas were affected. "We're just still kind of in an assessment phase for some of those, but a majority of them were taken out," Arriola said. He added that the bureau utilized on-hand spares to restore lighting in high-traffic visitor corridors immediately.
Environmental recovery is also underway to address the loss of 500 tons of vegetation across the island. Ina Carrillo, director of destination development, said the bureau is collaborating with Guam Green Growth to repopulate the shoreline with indigenous plants. The initiative requires coordination with various agencies to ensure new planting does not interfere with buried utility infrastructure.
Data from the bureau’s research department indicates a need for targeted marketing to recapture regional market share. Christian Valencia, director of tourism research, said the organization is focusing on arrival trends in Japan and South Korea. Valencia emphasized the importance of monitoring regional competition to guide recovery strategies as the industry aims for pre-storm arrival levels.
The bureau is intensifying its destination maintenance efforts to address the lingering effects of typhoon-related damage in key tourism corridors. This initiative involves a coordinated effort with the Mayors’ Council of Guam to ensure that high-visibility areas and key tourism spots are cleared and maintained. By focusing on the immediate cleanup of these sites, the bureau aims to uphold the island’s brand standards while larger infrastructure projects remain in the assessment and procurement phases.
Looking ahead to July, the bureau has drafted a schedule of events in collaboration with the Mañenggon Memorial Foundation and village mayors. Lee concluded the session by reaffirming the bureau's commitment to balancing infrastructure maintenance with market initiatives to ensure long-term industry sustainability. mbj
Journal Staff
TUMON, Guam — The Guam Visitors Bureau is prioritizing critical infrastructure repairs and addressing the economic impact of rising aviation fuel costs to stabilize the island’s tourism industry. During a media roundtable held on April 28, Régine Biscoe Lee, president and CEO of GVB, detailed a $2 million allocation for market impact programs as jet fuel prices account for 20% to 30% of airline operating expenses.
The surge in fuel costs has led to increased surcharges, threatening visitor arrival numbers from key source markets. Lee explained that the bureau is monitoring these external pressures closely to ensure Guam remains a competitive destination. "Jet fuel really surged in the last few weeks," Lee said, noting that the bureau is utilizing its budget to support programs designed to sustain traveler interest and flight frequency despite the rising costs.
Physical restoration of the tourism district remains a primary objective, specifically the repair of streetlights damaged by recent weather events. Frank P. Arriola, vice president of GVB, reported that 65% of the 400 streetlights installed along Pale San Vitores Road and surrounding areas were affected. "We're just still kind of in an assessment phase for some of those, but a majority of them were taken out," Arriola said. He added that the bureau utilized on-hand spares to restore lighting in high-traffic visitor corridors immediately.
Environmental recovery is also underway to address the loss of 500 tons of vegetation across the island. Ina Carrillo, director of destination development, said the bureau is collaborating with Guam Green Growth to repopulate the shoreline with indigenous plants. The initiative requires coordination with various agencies to ensure new planting does not interfere with buried utility infrastructure.
Data from the bureau’s research department indicates a need for targeted marketing to recapture regional market share. Christian Valencia, director of tourism research, said the organization is focusing on arrival trends in Japan and South Korea. Valencia emphasized the importance of monitoring regional competition to guide recovery strategies as the industry aims for pre-storm arrival levels.
The bureau is intensifying its destination maintenance efforts to address the lingering effects of typhoon-related damage in key tourism corridors. This initiative involves a coordinated effort with the Mayors’ Council of Guam to ensure that high-visibility areas and key tourism spots are cleared and maintained. By focusing on the immediate cleanup of these sites, the bureau aims to uphold the island’s brand standards while larger infrastructure projects remain in the assessment and procurement phases.
Looking ahead to July, the bureau has drafted a schedule of events in collaboration with the Mañenggon Memorial Foundation and village mayors. Lee concluded the session by reaffirming the bureau's commitment to balancing infrastructure maintenance with market initiatives to ensure long-term industry sustainability. mbj
