The political punches now hitting the agency in charge of the island’s top industry. Guam Visitors Bureau CEO and president Carl Gutierrez taking to his agency’s social media platforms expressing frustration over claims directed at GVB by the republican gubernatorial team.

Camacho-Ada and delegate Mike San Nicolas publicly discussed how GVB spent all $20 million in American Rescue Plan funds arguing how there are no flights coming into the island, and claiming those funds should’ve went to the people of Guam.

Gutierrez not standing by calling those statements outright lies saying GVB has $13.5 million in the bank to support tourism, adding his board had approved the use of the funds. Critics also questioned the visitors’ bureau president for using the GVB platforms to issue his response.

But Gutierrez tells KUAM he was left with no choice, saying, "I’m responsible to the members. I’m responsible to the people of Guam and when they put that out in mass social media I need to be able to get out in the same manner to be able to refute it."

Asked if he was speaking as the head of the visitors bureau rather than it seeming like a political move for the other side, he replied, Absolutely not. I didn’t want politics into this. That’s why was able to tape it in my GVB conference room and use GVB equipment because it’s a GVB response. It has nothing to do with anybody’s campaign."

Gutierrez defends the money has been well spent, noting the 216,000 visitor arrivals this past fiscal year, as tourism recovery efforts are ongoing, along with covering COVID-19 costs for tourist to return home.