Sen. Jesse Lujan has introduced a bill that would require the Guam Visitors Bureau board of directors to review and approve all agency travel.
Currently, the law authorizes the GVB general manager to approve off-island travel for the agency. Lujan wants to change that with Bill 279-38.
“We have received, of course, concerns from board members, my colleagues and stakeholders regarding excessive travel expenditures in reviewing travel records submitted to the legislature. Two items raised concern,” Lujan said during a hearing Monday.
Those items were a $30,000 trip to Las Vegas in October and a $19,000 trip to Singapore last February.
“That’s about $50,000 in public funds,” Lujan, who chairs the tourism committee, said.
Lujan said the measure, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Chris Duenas, is meant as a clear, practical step to strengthen governance and oversight.
He said if travel is necessary to support Guam’s tourism recovery, it should be justified, documented and approved by the board of directors.
He added the bill is one step in a broader set of reforms expected at the Guam Visitors Bureau.