Benefits and drawbacks to the Tumon Night Market addressed during Thursday’s Guam Visitors Bureau board meeting. Tourism officials say local vendors participating in the Sunday event are raking in revenue while some surrounding storefronts are seeing lower sales. 

Mark Baldyga stated, "There's no question in my mind that it will become the number one visitor attraction for the island and it’s something new." The GVB Recovery Committee chair touts the Tumon Night Market as the next big thing for the island’s recovering tourism industry.  "It’s that spirit of inafa’maolek, that connection of the local people with the tourists that’s really our unique selling [point]," he said.

With an average of 40 vendors and 18 food trucks participating weekly, the Sunday Night Market supports local businesses while increasing visitor experience. 

As reported, after making $1.8 million in nine successful Sundays, the pilot night market was extended for the next fiscal year. But it’s a balancing act for surrounding businesses on the Pleasure Island strip. 

"It certainly does impact my businesses in several different ways," Baldyga added. "So we donate our parking lot across the street and we actually have slightly lower revenue on nights we have the night market. So we set up a booth in the street and we hustle and we make a little more than we would have on a Sunday."

GVB president and CEO Regine Biscoe Lee addressed key concerns. For one, Tumon businesses say night market patrons are taking up parking stalls meant for their customers; although there is public parking and a free shuttle service at Ypao Beach Park.

"GVB and the contractor are meeting with the affected businesses, and Mark also has been meeting with the businesses, to kind of get solutions and provide 'No TNM' parking signs," she said.

Another concern: road closures shutting down traffic for several hours in the area. Tour and transportation companies are reportedly forced to take alternative routes. 

Lee said, "We hope to be able to have the road closure as far back as 9, 10, or 11am. So we will continue to walk that back in response to many of the business owners down there that are having challenges in terms of closing the entire road."

plus, there's a limited vendor space and a waitlist of businesses who want to participate. Baldyga offered to open up the sandcastle parking lot to allow for more vendors, sharing, "We’re also working with GEDA to provide special vendor offers for Guam product seal holders and shared booth spaces. We’re taking a lot of feedback from a lot of vendors and their fees."

Board chairman George Chiu says two out of three concerns are positive, as it shows increased interest. But former longtime senator and board member Joanne Brown argues more effort needs to be made to minimize impacts to those “suffering from the night market.” 

One business in particular, she says, reported their sales go down 30 percent on Sundays, noting, "I appreciate all the good stuff. I think that’s wonderful stuff we can all embrace, but if there are businesses adversely affected by something we’re sponsoring, then perhaps we need to take a little extra effort to find those businesses that are impacted and find out if there’s a way we can facilitate or assist. I’d hate to see more businesses in Tumon close down."

Board treasurer Ho Eun adds the Dusit Resort has had to spend up to $25,000 a month just for security on Sundays.  As a solution, chairman Chiu suggested to give the impacted businesses a free and permanent vendor spot to increase their revenue.