The Guam Visitors Bureau Board of Directors approved more than $321,000 worth of travel for bureau employees, directors, cultural artists and mayors for the first half of fiscal 2027.
Earlier this year, the Guam Legislature passed a bill – later vetoed by the governor – that would have required the GVB board to pre-approve off-island agency travel. While that measure failed, the requirement was included in the government’s 2027 budget bill, which lapsed into law without the governor’s signature.
“I bet you guys didn't know that, huh?” GVB Board Chair George Chiu said during the directors’ meeting last week. He said the GovGuam budget “has reverted the travel of the management and staff of GVB back to the board, and now we have to approve the first quarter and second quarter travel.”
The requirement is listed under spending controls in a section of the budget labeled “Government-Funded Travel Prohibited.” An exception to the prohibition states that travel to promote tourism on Guam is allowed if “such travel is paid for by the Tourist Attraction Fund and is restricted to the GVB General Manager or his/her designee, appropriate GVB staff, board members, cultural performers, and village leaders as approved by the GVB Board of Directors.”
“We weren’t even made aware of this,” Chiu said.
At the Sept. 17 meeting, the directors approved 18 trips with a total cost of $321,400.50, including five to Japan ($94,154), four to the United States ($59,875.50), three each to South Korea ($63,663) and Taiwan ($53,222), two to the Philippines ($33,702) and one to Singapore ($16,784).
The most expensive was the January 2027 One Guam Roadshow and New Year’s Appreciation in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo. The cost of no more than $45,186 includes a board member, the bureau president, the director of global marketing, three marketing staff, eight cultural dancers and two musicians.
Bureau President and CEO Régine Biscoe Lee explained that “GVB travels to conduct business. We meet with airlines, travel trade partners, media, tourism stakeholders as much as we can. We really try to do our work virtually, but you know there really is a benefit in meeting face to face.”
She said the agency’s travel has been criticized in the past, but it is necessary to promote Guam as a tourist destination.
“We've heard wild claims online and in the media, and I just want to reiterate: Official travel represents only about 3% of our overall budget. It is an investment in marketing, Guam, and really supporting our visitor industry,” she said.
Chiu suggested including a $100,000 discretionary fund to cover emergency travel, but Director Joanne Brown said there should be a clear approval process first. She said bureau travel is being scrutinized by the legislature and the public.
“We can toss $24,000, $100,000, like it's nothing, but you know the average person out there … now that we've received the authority back to approve travel, I just don't want to open us up where we're going to get unnecessary criticism,” she said. “The average person out there looks at us, and we're all flying high.”
She said the public perception is that GVB is traveling frequently “and not improving the product.”
“What is life and death here that requires, in between, you know, 30-day meetings to allow more travel?” she asked.
The board unanimously approved the travel plans and directed staff and management to develop a written policy on emergency travel for review at the next meeting.
The trips approved by the board, the people approved to travel and the maximum cost per trip, were:
- Imex America, Las Vegas, Nevada: GVB president and three staff. IMEX is a worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events, also known as MICE, with more than 6,000 attendees. GVB will meet with buyers from North America, China, India, Malaysia and around the world. Dusit Thani Guam Resort and Leo Palace Guam will join the GVB delegation. $12, 655.50.
- ITB Asia, Singapore: Four GVB marketing staff. Travel trade industry meeting. While there, staff will meet with Philippine Airlines to promote travel to Guam. GVB will also attend the International Media Marketplace Asia. $16,784.
- Diving Equipment and Marketing Association Show, Orlando, Florida: Two GVB marketing staff. GVB is a member of the association, and jointly exhibits with neighboring Micronesian islands and conducts product seminars to educate people about dive offerings. $7,320.
- International Travel Fair 2026 and GVB Business Meetings, Taipei, Taiwan: One board member, GVB president, three marketing staff, director of destination development, six cultural performers and cultural practitioner. GVB has several booth spaces and will join 100 other exhibitors. $29,992.
- Jeju Olle Walking Festival & Family Night, Jeju South Korea: One board member, GVB president, two marketing staff, director of designation, three destination staff and/or village mayors. GVB is developing sister trails (Guam Olle) in conjunction with Jeju Olle, with a launch date of February 2027. The bureau wants to familiarize mayors with the Jeju Olle system and planning. As trails are situated in specific villages, GVB officials “feel it is necessary to have the corresponding mayors understand what the expectations are moving forward and further garner their commitment and support,” according to GVB documents. $21,757.50.
- GVB Head Office meeting with GVB Philippines Office and travel trade partners, Manila, Philippines: Director of global marketing and two marketing staff. Meet with GVB Philippines marketing representatives and travel partners to discuss upcoming promotions. $9,000.
- One Guam quarterly meeting, Japan. Director of global marketing or senior marketing manager. Keep travel trade partners informed of Guam’s programs. $2,404.
- GVB Travel Mart and Year End Appreciation, South Korea. One board member, GVB president, director of global marketing, three marketing staff, director of destination development, six cultural performers. GVB plans to host a year-end appreciation event to thank industry partners. $34,501.50.
- One Guam Roadshow and New Year’s Appreciation, Japan. One board member, GVB president, director of global marketing, three marketing staff, eight cultural dancers, two musicians. Japan Roadshow culminates in Tokyo with year-end appreciation event. $45,186.00
- GVB Chinese New Year reception, Taipei, Taiwan. One board member, GVB president, three marketing staff. A GVB-hosted appreciation event for travel trade partners and media in the Taiwan market. $10,880.
- Taiwan Lantern Festival, Taipei, Taiwan. One board member, GVB president, three marketing staff. One of Taiwan’s largest and most internationally recognized cultural event. GVB will create and display a Guam-themed lantern. $12,350.
- Guam CHamoru Dance Academy, Japan. GVB president, director of global marketing, one marketing staff, director of destination development, one cultural practitioner, two cultural dancers. The event will happen three times in 2027. The academy shares Guam’s CHamoru culture through song and dance taught to instructors in Japan. Participants will visit Guam to learn more of Guam’s culture. $20,572.
- Sapporo Snow Festival food truck activation, Japan. GVB president, director of global marketing, two GVB marketing staff, director of destination development, two local artisans/ice carvers. GVB will join the snow ice sculpture “as part of our branding and awareness in secondary cities.” Social networking service activations are planned at the food truck. $23,588.
- Hospitality, Tourism Marketing and Management Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii. Director of destination development, four destination development staff. International conference brings together academic scientists, researchers and scholars who share research findings on hospitality, tourism marketing and management. $26,625.
- Guam With Me Event, Manila, Philippines: Director of global marketing, two marketing staff, director of destination development, six cultural performers. A three day event that aims to promote travel to Guam and raise awareness of the destination through showcases, cultural performances, food and music. $24,702.
- CHamoru Cultural Festival (CHE’LU) San Diego, California: Director of destination development, two staff. Family friendly event that offers cultural performances, entertainment, arts and crafts and a taste of the Marianas. $13,275.
- 60th International Education and Career Korea 2027, Seoul, South Korea. Director of global marketing, two marketing staff. Event connects students and professionals with global universities, study abroad programs and migration services. $7,404.
- One Guam quarterly meeting, Japan. Director of global marketing or senior marketing manager. Keep travel trade partners informed of Guam’s programs. $2,404.
