Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of stories as The Guam Daily Post takes a deep dive into Guam’s ailing visitor industry.
With tourism numbers down for well over a year, a plan forward could reflect the ideas and suggestions of the public, as the collective of independent tourism executives including members of the Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association, Guam Travel and Tourism Association and Japan Guam Tourism Association, who created the Guam Recovery Plan, are calling for input from the community.
The first draft of the Guam Recovery Plan was unveiled during a Guam Visitors Bureau board of directors meeting held Oct. 24. It’s now available for public viewing online. The draft plan is accompanied by an online survey where members of the public can offer their input.
“This document lays the foundation for a collaborative recovery strategy to be developed by the Guam Visitors Bureau in partnership with the private sector and overseen by the GVB board,” the Guam Recovery Plan website stated.
The survey, which references the Guam Recovery Plan, asks the public to rate Guam’s overall current marketing effort and effectiveness. It also asks people to provide comments or suggestions for improving marketing.
According to the Guam Recovery Plan, the path forward begins with “publicly acknowledging and validating assumptions through source market research.”
“Some initiatives, such as adding Korea flights, will yield immediate results, while others, like brand repositioning, will take time. Guam anticipates 2025 as a rebuilding year, with significant progress by 2026 and full recovery to 2019 levels by 2027. However, without decisive action, Guam risks remaining at 50% of 2019 arrivals, leading to further business closures and a downward spiral of fewer arrivals and economic decline,” the recovery plan said.
The collective of private sector tourism executives and industry professionals that developed the draft plan said that $50 million is needed over two years, “$32 million in Year 1 and $18 million in Year 2.”
“However, with limited immediate funding, GVB can allocate the full $14 million from its reserves and $7 million from (the Tourist Attraction Fund) surplus for 2025. Additional support will be needed, including increased TAF allocations for 2026 and beyond,” the plan states.
The survey notes that the Guam Recovery Plan proposes a focus on three unique selling points: culture, “Where America’s Day Begins,” and unique experiences and attractions.
Unique selling points, according to the recovery plan, are “essential in differentiating a destination from competitors, offering travelers distinct reasons to travel.”
“In an increasingly competitive tourism landscape, a clear understanding and promotion of these unique attributes is crucial to stand out,” the plan said. “USPs should provide the foundation for Guam’s marketing efforts, creating a distinct brand identity that appeals to modern travelers seeking more meaningful journeys.”
The survey asks if the three USP focal points are important and which is most important, or if there are other “truly unique selling points for Guam.”
The survey also asks participants to gauge how important culture is to defining Guam’s image as a unique destination and how important it is to “driving arrivals.”
It proposes seven marketing tactics and asks which are best, while welcoming other marketing suggestions.
The tactics listed include Premium Guam, which targets higher-spending guests; Feature Guam, highlighting unique attractions and options tours; Value Guam, which involves coupons for upgrades and value-adds; location subsidies to attract media; travel coupons; and digital marketing, to include influencers and niche marketing.
Building on what will attract tourist arrivals, the survey contains questions about events such as the EDM Music Water Festival, sporting events, international food competitions and festivals, asking which the participant believes is best. It also asks how many a year would be worthwhile, noting that signature events can cost $500,000 or more, and a minor event would cost $250,000.
With improving Guam’s tourism economy in mind, the survey asks participants to rate product improvements in airport arrival experience, cleanliness and beautification, major upgrades to Tumon, clean sightseeing spots and improved security.
The survey notes that “airport transportation is still based on the old paradigm of large tour buses, even though (free independent travelers) are now most of the market. Some people have suggested that transportation from the airport to hotels needs to change and improve.”
The survey asks which the participant believes is best.
Participants are encouraged to review the Guam Recovery Plan before filling out the survey. Those who complete the survey will have the opportunity to offer suggestions toward improving arrivals and make statements directed at the Guam Visitors Bureau board.
The plan and the survey can be found at guamrecoveryplan.com.
This post was originally published on here
