Maureen N. Maratita
Publisher
[email protected]

I first came to Guam as a visitor in the summer of 1993.

Tumon was vibrant.

Since we came to live in Guam at the end of 1993, we have personally experienced the ups and downs of tourism. When the hotel inventory was inadequate, we hosted friends from the other islands who called and said they couldn’t find a hotel room, or a rental car. (Happy days for the tourism industry.)

And in the down times after typhoons and economic challenges I have listened to businesses share their troubles.

These days, Tumon is a shadow of its pre-COVID self.

I am again listening to businesses who are beset by challenges. Our tourism industries need help and a concrete plan. Other destinations are attracting visitors creatively.

South Korea will launch the “K-culture training” visa for foreigners this year, which will be available for people taking part in training programs on K-pop, choreography and other cultural sectors.

Indonesia has launched the “Keep the Wonder” campaign with a focus on Indonesia’s areas of beauty and attraction. An expert at Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy reportedly said the campaign aims to address challenges in the tourism sector “which increasingly prioritizes quality, better experiences, awareness of the importance of sustainable environmental management, local economic development, and inclusive socio-cultural development.”

Australia will join the U.S. Global Entry program from 2025, making travel easier for the “hundreds of thousands of Australians who visit the U.S. every year.”

If we are serious about co-promoting with other islands, the Air Nauru route from Brisbane to Palau and then the United Airlines Island Hopper through the Federated States of Micronesia offers a gateway to the islands of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Australians are accustomed to long-distance travel.

Elsewhere, tourists can sign up for tours to view nesting females or volunteer with organizations that protect and study sea turtle nests. The University of Guam could incorporate such visits into its nesting program, together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

We could leverage all the sister-city relationships we have in Japan, to attract potential students of English to Guam, in the way Korea is targeting interest. The aim of sister city relationships is to encourage the exchange of education, culture and sport and to promote, where possible, tourism and trade. I doubt our hotels would be averse to hosting students in their vacant rooms as well as military guests, particularly given the low per diem for federal and military guests.

The $159 per diem has not changed since 2009, when then-Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo sought an increase. The U.S. government will raise hotel per diem rates in the U.S. mainland from October and for meals also, after raising them for fiscal 2022. The General Services Administration is responsible for setting per diems in the mainland, but in our region it’s the Department of Defense.

The president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association praised the increase. He said, “Government travel is a vital source of revenue for hotels, and it’s critically important that the federal government’s per diem rates reflect market conditions and take into account the economic realities hotels are facing, including the lingering effects of inflation and the nationwide workforce shortage.” All equally true in Guam. Our civic organizations should lobby DoD, and our Congressional delegate should also.

During our visits with businesses in preparation for this magazine, we heard how important local support is to hotels, and how much it’s appreciated.

But it’s time to do more and bring back the happy days.

Maureen N. Maratita is the publisher at Glimpses Media. Glimpses Media includes the Marianas Business Journal, Guam Business Magazine, The Guam Guide, Wave 105.1 FM and Power98.