XTERRA Guam, the Guam International Marathon, the 27th Annual Guam Micronesia Island Fair and the Guam Live International Music Festival will bring much focus on the U.S. Territory over the next few months. These high profile events bring a great number of benefits-primarily tourism and media exposure. At a time when the Asia Pacific tourism market is growing annually by five percent, it makes much sense to take advantage of this and diversify our market further by reaching across the region to bring more people to our shores. Yes-most of the focus has been on China and Russia to be the "golden egg" for our island's number one industry. Japan visitors have been the heart and soul of Guam's tourism for over four decades. But a recent on-line article may help boost our visitor numbers from the least likely of sources-North America.
For many years, the Guam Visitors Bureau and all of their consultants have put aside efforts to market to our American brothers and sisters in the contiguous United States. Cost always is the reason. But thanks to the Huffington Post, a bump in arrival numbers from America is on the horizon.
Chloe Fox's travel piece entitled "Guam Is the Most Interesting Destination in America And Here's Why" as of the writing of this blog has over 81 thousand "Likes" and 11,757 "Shares" on Facebook, 343 Tweets and 571 versions sent via Email. A good friend of this blogger and former Guam resident/Huff Post contributor Gene Park I'm sure helped out with the piece.
You have to read it.
Fox gives 11 great reasons to come to our island. If it wasn't for space concerns, she could have provided at least 9 other reasons! My favorite part-#2 Chamorro Food and the image from friend Vic Gonsaga. Never though Chicken Kelaguen could look so good.
Now a casual search of the news about Guam across the Inter-Web shows much about the social crazy occurring here from the scourge of drugs and other crimes to wildlife restoration to military posture. The Huff Post piece is such a breath of fresh air to show Guam in a completely different light.
Guam cannot be just crazy politics and crime. There is much more happening here than meets the eye. We are just like every other community in America in seeking good from the occasional bad .
More and more good events to bring Guam forward is key.
Did I say that the Guam National Soccer team is playing an international friendly against CONCACAF member Aruba? The world's 162nd ranked team from the Caribbean playing against FIFA's 173rd ranked Matao this afternoon Guam time. Let us see where positive on-line press takes us.