Along with the Palau Visitors Authority, the Marshall Islands Visitors Authority, and the Marianas Visitors Authority, GVB promoted Guam and the region in the Micronesia Pavilion of the recently concluded PATA Travel Mart.
This year, more than 50 countries and over 1,000 participants including buyers, sellers and media joined the PATA Travel Mart held at the World Trade Center Zhejiang.
For the past 32 years, the PATA Travel Mart has combined potential sellers with expert buyers to create networking and tourism market development opportunities in the Asia Pacific region.
Within the three-day business sessions, GVB held a total of 60 one-on-one scheduled meetings as well as walk-in appointments.
In addition, GVB general manager Gerald S.A. Perez held a Guam press event featuring a 20-minute media presentation illustrating the Guam branding campaign as well as a product update of the island.
Perez also attended the PATA board of directors meeting in Hangzhou.
According to GVB, the Micronesia Pavilion was graced with a visit from China National Tourism Administration chairman Shao Qiwei who was also the recipient of the PATA Awards of Distinction.
He was recognized for his outstanding contribution towards the development of China tourism in his role as the head of CNTA.
According to GVB, the participation of Guam in this year’s PATA Travel Mart created enormous awareness not only in the China market but also Russia, Australia, Italy and the Philippines.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that Secretary Janet Napolitano would utilize her parole authority to admit citizens of Russia and China into the CNMI after the federal takeover begins in Nov. 28, 2009.
In a letter to Napolitano, Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo urged that China and Russia ultimately be included in the full Guam-CNMI visa waiver program once the final rule is published.
