By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

GUAM remains an appealing destination for Japanese travelers and the local tourism industry — which marks its 40th anniversary — must continue to explore and take advantage of its edge over Asian neighbors, Japanese Consul General Tamio Tamino said.
“I know it’s a private sector activity but my office will assist travel agencies that offer tour packages for Guam,” Tamino told Variety. “Guam has many advantages and I hope that the local tourism industry will come up with more creative ideas to attract more Japanese tourists.”
A bulk of the one million visitors who came to Guam last year was Japanese.
The local tourism has since recovered from its slump that resulted from a series of tragic world events starting with the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 and the global SARS scare, compounded by the devastating typhoons that left the island in shambles in 2002.
“Even the tour agencies in Japan struggled because of those disasters. Now, it’s coming up again. More Japanese tourists are coming (to Guam) and I want to see this trend continue,” Tamino said.
Guam’s proximity to Japan, its tropical climate, and its affiliation with the U.S. are among the factors that lure the Japanese to the island.
“Guam is a three-hour flight from Japan. It saves traveling time. There are closer neighbors such as Korea and China, but most Japanese prefer Guam because it’s a U.S. territory,” said Tamino, who recently moved from Papua New Guinea to serve a two-year term on Guam.
“The Japanese who want to experience climate change come here to enjoy Marine activities such as boating and diving. I like Guam very much. The people are very friendly,” he added.
Gov. Felix P. Camacho last week proclaimed May as “The Celebration of 40 Years of Tourism on Guam Month,” remembering the first Japanese visitors who stepped onto the shores 40 years ago.
That event, the governor said, “marked the beginning of a new industry that set the pace of our economic development.”
“The pioneers of our visitor industry helped shape the course of our future by nurturing Guam’s main economic engine,” the governor added.
Tamino said during a meeting in Adelup last week, the governor recognized the contributions of the Japanese tourists to Guam. “I appreciate it that the governor is giving attention to that. I hope that kind of attention will continue,” he said.
Throughout the month beginning today, the Guam Visitors Bureau and private sector organizations will celebrate the 40th anniversary of tourism on Guam with a number of events including the “Fiestan Inalahan Songfest,” the 2007 Tumon Bay Ocean Swim, the Agat Mango Festival and the 4th Annual Guam International Tennis Open.