By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The infamous shooting of a Korean tourist in Tumon earlier this month had an insignificant impact on Guam tourism, but the Guam Visitors Bureau is launching an incentive program to counter the incident's potentially long-term impact on the Korean market.
“Out of 5,000 booked only 58 canceled,” GVB President Carl Gutierrez said, noting that the cancellation accounted for only “.01 percent” of the total bookings.
Just the same, Gutierez said GVB will expand an existing program to entice Asian tourists to come to Guam.
“We have initiated a $100,000 to spend for April and June,” he said. “Giving travel agents authorization to give $30 each to be spent here in Guam via phone.”
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The program, which started this month, initially applied only to the Japan market. “Travel agents are requesting if possible to add more,” Gutierrez said.
The program started on Jan. 3 and continues through Jan. 31.
“It was such a hit that we gave another $100,000 for April and June— $50,000 each month,’ the GVB president said.
“We decided that because of a longer term impact due to the shooting incident, we replicated the program for Korea for April and June,” Gutierrez said.
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