Legislation introduced Monday would require the Guam Visitors Bureau board of directors to approve all official travel before any public funds are spent.
Bill 279-38, introduced by Sen. Jesse A. Lujan with support from Sen. Christopher Dueñas, is intended to strengthen accountability, transparency and oversight of government spending tied to tourism promotion, according to a news release.
Lujan said the measure was developed following discussions with the GVB board during its January meeting and is designed to reinforce governance practices at the agency.
“This bill came directly from discussions with the GVB Board. It is a commonsense reform that puts accountability and transparency where it belongs, at the Board level,” Lujan said. “If travel is truly necessary to support Guam’s tourism recovery, it should be justified, documented, and approved.”
The senator said during the oversight hearing with GVB on Monday, a review of travel records submitted to the Legislature raised concerns about two trips: IMEX America in Las Vegas from Oct. 5–10, 2025, costing $30,206.94, and ITB Asia in Singapore from Oct. 12–18, 2025, costing $19,916.69 — about $50,000 in public funds combined. The report noted totals included registration fees, booth materials and furnishings associated with the events.
“Asia is our primary source market. North America is not currently a feasible source market,” Lujan said. “I’ll say this — half-joking, but not really — if you took that thirty thousand dollars and gambled it in Vegas, chances are the ROI might have been higher.”
Lujan said he also plans to introduce legislation to amend the budget law to require travel approvals revert to the GVB board for the current fiscal year.
“Today is not the time to debate the value of those trips,” he said. “But I will be introducing legislation … to require that all travel approvals revert back to the Board for this fiscal year. We can debate that policy publicly and transparently.”
If approved by the 38th Guam Legislature, the bill would establish a formal requirement for board-level review and authorization of official travel expenses funded by public money.