Much of the state of Guam’s economy relies on the tourism industry, which officials say supports some 14,100 hospitality jobs.  It’s no secret recovery has been sluggish, with that number down 31% compared to 21,000 jobs in 2019 and less visitor arrivals before the pandemic. 

So what’s being done to get back to pre-pandemic numbers?

It’s been six years since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the island's #1 economic driver and reshaped the island’s tourism landscape. Several landmark businesses have closed up shop and more still are planning their exit in the coming months, like major luxury retailers DFS in Tumon and Lotte Duty Free at the Guam International Airport, where visitors likely get their last impression of Guam before they return home. 

On the other hand, entrepreneurs continue to invest in Guam, expand and hope for better days ahead. 

It’s this optimism Guam Visitors Bureau president and chief executive officer Regine Biscoe Lee highlights during Monday’s "Tourism Talks" session with local media. She detailed, "There’s a number of things that we’re looking at trying to work with our partners at the [Guam Economic Development Agency] to provide additional incentives for luxury retailers to make sure that they’re able to make up some of their margins. But there’s also a number of luxury retail shops that still exist in our hotels and right across our streets from DFS, and a number of other shops."

"There’s still an opportunity for people to have that experience should they want to, but we’re also seeing a number of new businesses pop up all across the island."

Biscoe Lee is also “very optimistic” that this fiscal year, visitor arrivals will break the 1 million mark for the first time since the pandemic.  The $10 million in airline incentives and marketing funding appropriated by senators to help bring in more visitors will play a key role. 

She says so far, GVB received $5.9 million out of that $10 million. KUAM News asked the president to respond to tourism oversight chair Senator Jesse Lujan’s demand for accountability, in the event that GVB miss that mark.

"So the great opportunity that we have is we’re on these calls with the airport every single week, we’re keeping a very, very close eye on these things," she responded. "It’s not going to be at the end of the fiscal year where we go, ‘Oh, we didn’t meet our targets.’ We know right away if things aren’t working out. So we’re able to check and adjust those plans.

"It’s a strategy in that we’re constantly reviewing our forecast, our targets in every single market."

One of those marketing strategies already adjusted the past few months in response to a changing market-- hiring influencers to promote Guam.

"We have actually found some really great success specifically out of Korea in working with influencers for flash sales," said Biscoe Lee.

Speaking very hypothetically, she said, "What I mean by that is let’s say [KUAM's] Jason Salas has decided to go on his 5 million followers in Korea and says, ’Hey guys, check me out. Here’s me on a jetski in Guam. Here’s me doing all this really fun stuff in Guam. For a very limited time, for the next 24 hours, I’ll be selling this package to Guam and make sure that you get it.’ Maybe we work with that influencer for a couple thousand dollars and the return on that has been tremendous."

In the meantime, elected officials continue to keep their eye on recovery.

As reported, the tourism oversight chair recently warned GVB management that additional funding is off the table without results or reform.