Guam rated eight out of ten on average by the largest source markets; leaders give updates
BY SKYLER OBISPO
Journal Staff
According to President and CEO of the Guam Visitors Bureau Régine Biscoe Lee, visitors from Japan and Korea have rated Guam an eight out of ten on overall satisfaction.
Lee and other travel, hospitality, and economy leaders spoke at the Tourism Roadmap to Recovery Forum at the Sandcastle Theater on Dec. 2.
The rating comes from more than 3,000 visitors who responded to exit surveys taken at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport Lee said. The survey covered topics such as friendliness, shopping, safety, and beaches.
For Korean visitors, friendliness of staff received the highest score, while Japanese visitors rated friendliness of locals the highest. Some of the lowest scores came from transportation options and parks, which Japanese visitors rated 4.54.
(From left) Matthew Baza, business & economic development assistant manager, Guam Economic Development Authority; Artemio Hernandez, deputy executive manager, GIAA; and Régine Biscoe Lee, president and CEO, GVB. Photo by Skyler Obispo
“This is an opportunity that we have to rise, to improve our product, destination Guam, and that’s really gonna take a collaborative effort,” Lee said.
Visitor forecasts for fiscal 2026 range from a conservative estimate of 739,051 to an optimistic 1,009,981.
Momentum is increasing, Lee said, as preliminary arrival numbers for October are up 17.5%.
Artemio Hernandez, deputy executive manager of the Guam International Airport Authority, said that in the last six months, GIAA has seen increased activity from its Korean carriers.
Korean Air added 25,350 monthly seats in July and August, while Jin Air added 9,639 seats from July to December. T’way Airlines added 5,670 seats from its Kansai–Guam flight, which operated from July 18 to Oct. 25.
Hernandez said the number of enplaned passengers increased toward the end of fiscal years 2024 and 2025, with a peak in August at 109,752 passengers, up about 18% compared to last year.
He said the rise is a sign of year-over-year recovery for travel to Guam, despite several challenges such as the December 2024 crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216.
GIAA is also investing millions into capital improvement projects at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport.
These upgrades include:
Exterior painting ($1.49 million);
Flooring replacements ($3.34 million);
Designs for ADA improvements ($2.2 million);
Designs for security screening expansion ($1.07 million);
Five passenger loading bridge replacements ($7.5 million)
Hernandez also said GIAA is working with legislators to update its policies and procedures for the solicitation, selection, and award of concession agreements at the airport — changes that would allow the private sector to seek longer-term leases.
However, Guam is still seeing less than half of the arrivals it saw prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are nowhere near where we should be,” said Mary P. Rhodes, president of the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association.
According to the 2024 GVB Guam Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism industry created 14,392 jobs, about 21.5% of all jobs in Guam and had an economic impact of $1.4 billion.
Rhodes said the tourism industry once had a much larger impact on Guam’s economy.
“We used to be 60% of the GDP. We used to be at 70% of employment,” she said.
As markets are slowly seeing growth, Rhodes highlighted the importance of airline incentives amidst a challenging and competitive tourism market and the road ahead.
Guam will not see one of its largest military exercises around the start of the coming year, according to Rhodes. According to Journal sources, this exercise is COPE North. Military spending at hotels and in Tumon has helped offset lagging tourism, with the military per diem rate increasing in February for the first time in 15 years.
COPE North 2025 brought more than 2,300 servicemen to Guam for the month-long training according to Journal files.
(From left) Mary P. Rhodes, president, GHRA; Monte D.L. Mesa, vice chairman of GTTA and general manager of Tumon Sands Plaza and GPO; William Nault, chairman of GTTA and president of Nautech Guam Corp.; and Jong In Cheong, president; Korea Guam Travel Association. Photo by Skyler Obispo
Rhodes said Guam needs to look within its region and focus on what makes it a unique destination. Recently, Saipan received $8 million for a marketing campaign for the Northern Mariana Islands, and she said regional marketing and rebranding Guam are efforts that tourism leaders should consider.
Monte D.L. Mesa, general manager of Tumon Sands Plaza and Guam Premier Outlets and vice chairman of the Guam Travel & Tourism Association, said Guam needs to explore opportunities to become a hub for Micronesia.
“Guam is in a position, especially with the airline partners, that we have to make Guam the hub into Micronesia,” he said. “We have to develop both an airline hub as well as the expedition cruise industry.”
Mesa said the cruise industry connects many sectors — from suppliers to optional tour providers.
Food is another way Guam can elevate the tourism experience, Mesa said.
“We need to invite a Michelin-star group to come and rate — maybe our first Michelin-star chef or Michelin-star restaurant.”
He noted that destinations like Thailand have Michelin-star street vendors.
Overall, Mesa said Guam needs attractions that draw visitors.
“All our organizations combined have to come up with different ideas, and we need to unite. We need to unite our voices,” he said. mbj
The Guam Department of Public Works has released the full procurement record and evaluation documents used to select the highest-ranked proposer for the Simon Sanchez High School rebuild project.
The Salvation Army, in partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and community volunteers, hosted its 28th annual Thanksgiving Luncheon on Nov. 27 at the Chamorro Village in Hagåtña.
