08 October 2014 - Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) Marketing Manager Ms. Pilar Laguaña and Senior Marketing Officer Ms. Gina Kono called on Philippine Consul General Marciano R. de Borja on October 7 to discuss their efforts to promote Guam as a travel destination for the Philippine market.
The GVB marketing executives briefed Consul General de Borja on their forthcoming media familiarization tours tied up with two of the major events that are intended to encourage international visitors to come to Guam. These events are the Guam Ko’Ko’ Road Race, which is an Ekiden relay and half-marathon that will take place on October 19, and the Shop Guam Festival that will run from November 01 until January 12, 2015.
The call of Ms. Laguaña and Ms. Kono came just a few days after Consul General de Borja himself visited the Guam Visitors Bureau and met with its General Manager, Mr. Karl Anthony Pangelinan, and Deputy General Manager, Mr. Jon Nathan Denight.
During the call, Ms. Laguaña explained that the two upcoming events are designed to create greater value for their foreign visitors, including the Philippine market that they wish to develop and grow in view of the significant presence of Filipinos on Guam.
For his part, Consul General de Borja suggested that the GVB may consider including two potential attractions of interest to Filipino tourists in their tourism guide books: the shrine of San Pedro Calungsod in Tumon and the soon to be installed life-size statue of Apolinario Mabini in Asan. Consul General de Borja explained the significant role of Mabini in Philippine history and how the statue will highlight the commemoration of his 150th birth anniversary. By including the statue in their tourism brochures, GVB will help foster greater awareness among Filipinos that Mabini was once exiled to Guam and thus make the statue a historical point of reference for Filipino tourists coming to Guam.
Consul General de Borja also invited both Ms. Laguaña and Ms. Kono to consider participating in the 10th edition of the Ambassadors, Consul Generals and Tourism Directors' (ACGTD) Tour in 2015. END