The Guam Visitors Bureau's Mega Familiarization Tour, or MegaFAM, welcomed more than 200 travel trade professionals, media representatives and digital influencers from key visitor source markets Thursday as part of an effort to increase visitation and strengthen industry partnerships.
GVB confirmed it is covering airfare, accommodations and other expenses for participants, but final costs for the initiative have not yet been determined.
"The FAM will also be followed by initiatives such as Kids Fly Free in Korea and Guam Fare Advantage in the Philippines, providing additional opportunities to measure visitation and ROI in FY2027," GVB told Guam News Network.
According to GVB's 2025 economic impact report, each incremental visitor represents approximately $1,500 in direct spending and $2,000 in total economic impact.
GVB estimates that if each participant influences five additional visitors to travel to Guam, the tour could generate roughly 1,000 additional visitors and "$1.5 million in direct spending and $2 million in total economic impact."
GVB said the MegaFAM connects 40 local businesses with international participants. Officials estimated 700 business-to-business connections.
"Importantly, these figures represent a very conservative estimate of the potential ROI. They assume only five additional visitors per participant and do not account for repeat visitation, referrals, future group travel, expanded partnerships, or the longer-term business generated from the international relationships established through the FAM tour," GVB said.
GVB said it will track how many visitors come to Guam as a result of the MegaFAM tour, including booking methods, information sources and expenditures through the Visitor Exit Survey and other research tools.
"For the 2026 MegaFAM, we will track media and digital reach, including impressions, engagement and conversion following the tour. A post-event survey will also measure business leads, planned promotions, incentive programs, and other outcomes," GVB said.
GVB said the goal of the five-day MegaFAM program is to build awareness, strengthen travel trade partnerships, generate media coverage and ultimately drive visitation.
“Bringing over 200 key opinion leaders to Guam is only part of the opportunity. We want our industry partners to showcase their businesses and make meaningful connections that continue long after our guests return home,” Régine Biscoe Lee, GVB president and CEO said in a release. “When people experience Guam for themselves, they gain a much better understanding of what makes our island special.”
GVB has planned curated island tours, cultural experiences and a tabletop marketplace where local businesses and international travel professionals can engage. Participants will also have the opportunity to experience Guam's culture and community through a fiesta-style Labor Day celebration and the Tumon Night Market.
“There is real value in getting our travel partners out of the meeting room and into the community where they can meet the people behind our tourism products,” Nadine Leon Guerrero, GVB director of global marketing said. “Our industry partners have so much to share, and this gives them a chance to tell their stories, answer questions directly and develop relationships with travel professionals who can help bring those experiences to their customers.”