Guam’s former first lady highlighted some of the latest in achievements and news for the agency.
Recently, Ypao Beach Park was ranked the second “Best Overseas Beach” by Japan’s TripAdvisor, one of the largest global travel sites.
The website allows Japanese visitors the chance to rate the beaches they have been to, and Ypao Beach made the list.
“To be ranked second is a testament to the promise we make to them to have clean beaches and some of the best leisure activities on Guam,” said Camacho.
GVB has also released a new, information-rich Guam Guidebook containing useful information about the island’s culture, history, and a glimpse of the sights and sounds within the community. Camacho stated there are a few hardcopies and CDs available for pickup at the GVB main office.
“GVB has also been working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish an Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, line at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport,” stated Camacho.
This program, while optional for those traveling from visa waiver countries to Guam, allows for a way to expedite the process of clearing customs at the airport.
As part of its Japan marketing efforts, GVB reached out after the March 11 tsunami and earthquake disasters by partnering with its members, government officials and the community to raise funds for the affected communities.
“After the events of what has now been commonly called as ‘3/11,’ we focused our marketing efforts on Western Japan,” said Camacho.
GVB began joint newspaper advertising in Nagoya and Osaka that saw support from the Japan-Guam Tourism Council, Camacho noted.
Additionally, they conducted familiarization tours for media people, an aggressive summer campaign that included two upcoming signature events — the Guam Micronesian Island Fair and the Guam Ko’ko Road Race — and they also held travel agent seminars in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Okayama and Hiroshima, areas unaffected by the 3/11 events.
Camacho also spoke about some of the initiatives her agency is working on in order to expand the tourism market, which she stated is one of the top economic engines for Guam.
“In order for our tourism industry to grow and expand, we have to start looking at ways of diversifying our tourism base and what we offer our visitors,” said Camacho. “GVB is working diligently with the governor, Congresswoman [Madeleine] Bordallo, and other relevant entities to push the Visa Waiver Program for both China and Russia.”
She added: “By diversifying our tourist base, we won’t be as reliant on Japan and will be able to offer our people better economic opportunities.”
