The Guam Visitors Bureau board of directors approved $93,640.05 in travel expenses during Thursday's board meeting.
The funding will cover two separate trips.
One trip includes a 14-member delegation that will travel to Japan in early July. The exact travel dates have not been set. The delegation would include the governor, the GVB board chairman and president, a representative from the Legislature and various staff members from the governor’s office and GVB.
This would be the first official introduction of Guam’s new leadership to key travel and government partners in Japan.
The estimated cost is $53,990.55.
The other overseas travel approved by the board is a trip to Washington, D.C.
Guam Del. Michael San Nicolas has invited GVB to send a delegation to take part in a special series of the 75th Guam Liberation Celebration activities that he is planning from July 12 to 18.
The eight-person delegation would include GVB’s Cultural and Heritage Committee chairwoman and cultural heritage officer, the Guam Liberation Queen, and a small dance group. The price tag on this trip is $39,649.50.
Record year expected
GVB is projecting another record year for visitor arrivals.
In her report to the GVB board of directors Thursday, President and CEO Pilar Laguana said, “We’re currently on track to welcome 1.62 million visitors for FY 19, which would be the best fiscal year in history.”
Since the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2018, through May 31 of this year, she said 1,070,353 arrivals have been recorded.
Japanese arrivals have increased 24.3% while arrivals from Korea have slipped 3%.
117,657 arrivals were recorded in May, a 4.5% increase over last year.
