The Guam Visitors Bureau’s two year tourism recovery plan is currently focusing on destination improvement. 

GVB Recovery Committee Chair Mark Baldyga gave the first report since the board adopted the plan three months ago in December. 

“The two primary issues we face are the poor product integrity, the products declined– both the public and the private spaces. Part of this is through inaction and part of this is through the typhoon for example,” said Baldyga.

Some immediate projects that need to be prioritized include repairing public toilets, removing junk cars, water blasting and painting Tumon and putting up some 200 trash cans in the tourism hub. 

Baldyga did not mince his words before the bureau on Monday.  

“This is where the recovery team committee’s efforts have been for the first 90 days, primarily because there’s no sense rushing a bunch of tourists here to see a decrepit destination, frankly. We have to fix our product first. We are working on the other things simultaneously, but this is something we can take quick action on. We have finite resources until we get the HOT bond,” added Baldyga. 

He said there needs to be solutions both on the public and private side, but there’s “a downward spiral” with several businesses in Tumon forced to shut their doors from the economic decline. 

“There’s just this vicious circle because the more things close, the fewer arrivals. The fewer arrivals, the harder it is for people to stay alive,” said Baldyga. 

One idea to revitalize the economy and keep visitors coming include rebranding the “pleasure island” block party in Tumon and make it a weekly event. 

“So the idea is to do this every Sunday. Do it in a different way every Sunday. I’ve already gotten a buy-in from the Dusit and DFS,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to rebrand Pleasure Island to Coco village or Coco street, something along those lines.

The Sunday Block Party would have entertainment, cultural activities and even fireworks with a hopeful launch by the Fourth of July weekend. 

“And then in phase two we want to use a bit of the HOT bond funds to make it a permanent attraction. So professional signage, graphics, distributed audio systems, uniforms and things like that start at the end of the year,” he added. 

Still, he notes GVB is working with limited resources until the bureau can get another hotel occupancy tax bond to fund the tourism recovery projects. 

“We’re cognizant it needs to be more than just Tumon. But at the same time, if we don’t focus on getting Tumon back in shape, then we’re done,” he said.