Guam Agencies Partner to Restore Flight Capacity and Drive Tourism Recovery

GVB and GIAA Collaborate on Air Service Development for Guam.

As part of the Leon Guerrero Tenorio Administration’s ongoing Guam tourism recovery efforts, the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) and the Guam International Airport Authority (GIAA) have partnered to aggressively pursue increased air service to the island, with a focus on restoring capacity from Korea and Japan—two of Guam’s largest source markets. As part of these efforts, leadership from GVB and GIAA—including the expertise of an aviation strategy consultant—have been in productive discussions with airlines, travel agents, and online travel agents (OTAs) to increase seat capacity and drive more demand to the Guam market.

“Tourism is our lifeline to economic prosperity,” stated Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero. “That is why we need all efforts of our government—with GVB and GIAA leading the way—to focus on delivering results and achieving a reality that meets the expectations of our visitors.”

Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio added, “Airlift recovery and expanded seat capacity is a critical first step and engaging the different sectors and passenger profiles of our visitor markets intentionally and with purpose are vital to our tourism recovery.”

GVB’s Tourism Recovery Plan (Plan) highlights the critical need for increased airlift, especially from South Korea, where seat capacity has dropped significantly. Prior to the pandemic, Guam welcomed 850,000 Korean visitors annually, supported by nearly 90,000 monthly airline seats. Today, that number has plummeted to just 30,000 seats per month—effectively capping annual arrivals at below 400,000, for a 50–55% decline.

Although the initial target of the Plan was to increase monthly capacity to 50,000 seats for 2025, this proved a bit optimistic. But for immediate results during the first half of the year, coordinated efforts by GVB and GIAA have led to meaningful progress with Korean Airlines committing an additional 10,000 seats per month beginning June 1, 2025, which is currently available for sale. Discussions with another Korean carrier for an additional 5,000 seats per month are also nearing finalization, bringing the total close to the 50,000-seat target—at least for the second half of the year.

Newly installed President and CEO of GVB, Regine Biscoe Lee stated, “Our partnership with GIAA is strong, and these recent wins on seat recovery are proof that collaboration works. We’re focused on rebuilding smarter, not just faster.”

In an effort to bolster GVB’s strategy to increase seat capacity and recovery market share, GVB has engaged Mr. Charles Duncan—a seasoned airline executive and consultant—to provide key insights as we reshape the island’s aviation strategy. His responsibilities include:

• Negotiating with carriers
• Aligning incentive agreements across airlines
• Developing a multi-year growth plan to target both new and former markets—including Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, and expanded service from the Philippines

Duncan recently completed an air service development mission to Japan with GVB President and CEO Lee, Japan Marketing Committee Chairman Ken Yanagisawa, and GIAA Deputy Executive Manager Artemio “Ricky” Hernandez, Ph.D. He is currently in South Korea with President Lee, Dr. Hernandez, and Korea Marketing Committee Chairman Ho Eun.

“Engaging Charles and our team to help develop a structured long-term aviation strategy ensures that our efforts are sustainable and competitive,” stated President and CEO Lee.

Premium and Value: A Two-Pronged Approach

Korean Airlines will operate a wide-body 777-300 aircraft on the additional route, with an evening departure complementing their current daytime flight and featuring lie-flat seats in Prestige Class. This marks a significant step forward in attracting higher-spending visitors as part of GVB’s upcoming “Premium Guam” campaign. Targeted toward a small niche of less price-sensitive consumers, the campaign aims to counteract the strong dollar and weak Korean won by showcasing the island’s premium offerings.

GVB is also preparing a “Value Guam” campaign, focused on affordability and aimed at budget-conscious travelers. Discussions are underway with numerous carriers (LCCs) in Japan to support this initiative, providing additional access while maintaining support for full-service partners like hometown carrier United Airlines and Japan Airlines.

In parallel with these negotiations, GVB is seeking new, creative ways to support air service through marketing. “Our GVB team remains agile and innovative, constantly exploring creative strategies to strengthen our presence, share the Guam story, and expand our share in these dynamic environments,” said President and CEO Lee, “We are committed to adapting swiftly and seizing new opportunities for sustainable growth as markets and trends continue to evolve.”

SEEN IN MAIN IMAGE:  (L-R) Mr. Yang Jae Pil, Team Leader, Korean Air Regional Headquarters; Mr. Artemio “Ricky” Hernandez, Deputy Executive Manager, Guam International Airport Authority; Mr. Charles M. Duncan, Air Service Advisor, Guam Visitors Bureau; Mr. Ho Sang Eun, Board Director & Korea Marketing Committee Chairman, Guam Visitors Bureau; Mr. Koh Jong Seob, Managing Vice President, Korean Air Regional Headquarters; Ms. Régine Biscoe Lee, President & CEO, Guam Visitors Bureau; Mr. Lim Hyeong Seong, Group Leader, Korean Air Regional Headquarters; and Mr. Jihoon “Jay” Park, South Korea Country Manager, Guam Visitors Bureau.

Media Contact:  Lisa Bordallo, Public Information Officer, GUAM VISITORS BUREAU, SETBISION BISITAN GUÅHAN, Tumon, Guam, (671) 979-1523, lisa.bordallo@visitguam.org