As visitor arrivals struggle to meet pre-pandemic numbers and as businesses face challenges staying afloat, Guam’s tourism industry stakeholders and the island’s future hospitality workforce will be gathering for a Tourism Forum tomorrow.
After two months planning and preparing, students with the Guam Community College’s Tourism and Hospitality Program spent their Monday afternoon at a final dry-run rehearsal at the Sandcastle in Tumon. Students like John F. Kennedy High School junior Sadie Retuyan and Okkodo High School junior Trisha Gumpal will be going before tourism stakeholders and island leaders to give presentations at the Tourism Roadmap to Recovery Forum on Tuesday.
Retuyan said, "The presentations for tomorrow include what is hospitality about, things that we can do to benefit our hospitality industry here on Guam. I feel like a lot of the students here are very passionate and goal-driven. It should be something that a lot of people can look forward to."
"What we’re going to talk about is what hospitality is and we’re also going to combine our own personal selves going with hospitality and the brief overview," added Gumpal.
Tuesday’s forum, hosted by GCC and the Guam Travel and Tourism Association, will bring together industry experts and the next generation of the island’s hospitality workforce. Retuyan is one of the event’s moderators, but she says she isn’t nervous, saying, "It’s really exciting. I love the hospitality industry. There’s always something new to learn. There’s a lot of things you can take [away] from it."
These students will be sharing the stage with various industry experts like Guam Visitors Bureau president and CEO Regine Biscoe Lee, who will be speaking to the state of tourism recovery. "I will be giving a presentation alongside the airport and [the Guam Economic Development Agency]," she noted. "So we will be participating in that panel. But also be hearing from many of our partners in terms of workforce development and what we need to do on the Guam side to make sure our labor force is ready to receive many more visitors."
The forum comes as the industry looks to re-imagine what Guam can deliver as a destination in changing times - as businesses shut down or announce their departure, like DFS, Hard Rock Cafe and others not in the limelight, while others grow. But these students hope to offer a fresh and positive perspective as future stakeholders in the industry, while taking away precious lessons from those who came before them.
"Hospitality isn’t easy," said Retuyan. "This industry is hard. You never know what can happen. There are a lot of positives, but it is not easy at all. But the more that we work and the harder that we do work, I think our hard work will pay off and it will show. In the next couple of years, I think if everyone plays their part, we’re all working hard, we will benefit deeply."