The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) has released its second quarter visitor profile report for Fiscal Year 2019, noting some changes in the spending habits of different visitor markets to the island.
The GVB Visitor Profile Report is a summary of expenditures per market drawn from exit survey data that is conducted by the Bureau’s Research Department. The exit survey questionnaire as of January 2019 has been updated to ensure better accuracy.
The markets that have traditionally been surveyed include Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Hong Kong. Going forward, GVB will be adding the U.S. market to be a part of the exit surveys.
The second quarter report indicates the U.S. market data is off to a great start. Total expenditures are at $2,880.46 per person. The average length of stay for visitors in the U.S. market is approximately two weeks. It should be noted the U.S. market takes up about 6% of Guam’s market mix. GVB’s Research Department will continue to analyze and monitor this data for any developing trends as the fiscal year progresses.
“The second quarter visitor profile is a great resource to monitor visitor spending and spot any trends that are developing in our different markets,” said GVB President and CEO Pilar Laguaña. “As tourism continues to evolve, we too must adapt to its changing tides and strive to constantly improve Guam’s visitor experience.”
Meanwhile, total expenditures for the Taiwan market is at $1,550.70 per person, followed by Hong Kong at $1,467.59 per person, Korea at $1,345.00 per person, Japan at $1,200.63 per person, and the Philippines at $907.10 per person.
The average length of stay compared to the same quarter last year has varied. Japan’s length of stay increased 4.9% to 3.42 days, while Korea’s length of stay declined 39.9% from 8.38 days to 5.04 days. The decrease correlates to findings from the second quarter exit survey for Korea, which notes that 44% of visitors have been to Guam more than once. Taiwan’s length of stay increased 13.4% to 4.57 days and the average length of stay for the Philippines remained the same at 4.96 days. Hong Kong’s average length of stay rose by 6% to 4.04 days. The U.S. market’s average length of stay is now recorded at 12.19 days.
Second best April recorded; Golden Week draws nearly 10K visitors
Visitor arrivals for April 2019 increased by 2.6% when compared to the previous year. Guam welcomed 120,779 visitors, which is now recorded as the second best April in tourism history.
The Japan market continues to demonstrate recovery with a 19.5% increase in arrival numbers. The tail end of April also marked the start of Golden Week, which lasted through May 5. The annual holiday period in Japan drew nearly 10,000 Japanese visitors to Guam on 68 charter flights. GVB’s Research Department estimates that $11.9 million in total expenditures were recorded during Golden Week, with close to $5.5 million in on-island expenditures.
