With Guam’s visitor industry facing mounting strain and a string of recent business closures, the Guam Travel & Tourism Association and Guam Community College’s Hospitality & Tourism Department launched the Tourism Road to Recovery Forum Tuesday at the Sandcastle. The gathering brings together government officials, industry leaders and students for a full-day discussion on stabilizing and rebuilding the island’s most critical economic sector.
The event, co-hosted with the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association, Japan Guam Travel Association and Korea Guam Travel Association, comes amid the closure of Hard Rock Café and another major business set to shut down at the end of the first quarter of 2026. Organizers said the developments highlight the urgency of coordinated action, workforce investment and support systems for tourism-dependent businesses.
GTTA Chairman Bill Nault and GCC Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gina Tudela opened the forum, followed by keynote remarks from Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Speaker Frank Blas Jr. and Sen. Jesse Lujan, chair of the Legislature’s tourism committee. Their comments set the tone for a renewed push to restore visitor arrivals, improve the tourism experience and strengthen community partnerships.
Three panels anchor the program. The first, featuring Guam Visitors Bureau President Regine Biscoe Lee and AB Won Pat International Airport Deputy Executive Manager Ricky Hernandez, provides updates on recovery efforts and financial tools available through the Guam Economic Development Authority. A second panel, led by William Shinozaki, showcases more than 107 GCC Hospitality & Tourism students and six high school programs preparing to enter the industry workforce.
The final panel examines how villages can play a larger role in strengthening Guam’s visitor experience, with Mayors Council President Jesse Alig joining leaders from GHRA, JGTA, KGTA and GTTA.
