Guam-A Different Perspective

Overlooking Agana Bay recently made me think that there are great things to come for Guam and Magnificent Micronesia.  

The surf was a bit higher than usual-carryover of a storm that is slowly pushing away from our area and into Asia.  The water was its normal turquoise blue. Tourists wore smiles on their faces-maybe the sand in their toes or thoughts of not being at the front end of the bad weather across the Pacific Rim are the cause.  

Clean air.  

Not too hot.  

Paradise.

As we push into the final quarter of 2013, the visitor industry is staring down a record year.  Visitor arrivals just from Korea alone is projected to hit nearly a quarter of a million with a net impact of $423 Million USD.  August arrival numbers showed a 5% increase from last year.  

Can Guam hit 1.4 million tourists this year? 

Local tourism experts are hopeful.  Hoteliers are optimistic.  Airline executives are confident that the number can be reached or exceeded.  Island residents know what the net impact will be to everyone who depends on robust activity along Tumon Bay.

A couple of facts: into the next 5 to 10 years, 2 out of 5 international travellers will be Asian. By 2023, China will overtake the United States to become the world’s largest travel and tourism economy.

Vice President for Atlantic & Pacific Sales at United Airlines James Mueller said recently that there are challenges ahead to  boost growth opportunities for airlines all across Asia. Newspapers and bloggers across the region are noting that airline growth is being stymied by increasing fuel prices, which in turn is having an impact on the choosing of new routes.

Director and General at Airport’s Counsel International (ACI) Angela Gittens said it best that governments in Asia Pacific by large understand the importance of aviation and the need to adopt to growing capacities.

Guam will see $100 million in upgrades at the Guam International Airport to respond to the new normal in the region.  The island is poised to become a bigger player and could soon attract new airlines which in turn brings more visitors. Such investment is going to see a trickle down effect to hotel properties and certainly other critical visitor industry infrastructure.

Paradise Guam is poised for further growth.  

Our community must come together to find new ways to grow our number one industry and protect the lifeblood of our island economy.