Guam Visitors Bureau and H.I.S. Target 75,000 Japanese Arrivals

The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) and Japanese travel giant H.I.S. have set a target of 75,000 Japanese visitors to Guam for FY2027, formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding signed November 6, 2026, at the GVB office in Tumon. The goal builds on HIS-reported figures of 52,000 Japanese visitors in FY2025 and 60,100 in FY2026 — a market still below pre-pandemic levels that both parties now aim to recover and then exceed.

GVB Acting President and CEO Frank Arriola and HIS Executive Officer and General Manager Shinji Yoshino signed the agreement. It establishes a working framework to lift arrivals, build new tourism products, and support what both sides call the sustainable growth of Guam's visitor economy.

"Japan remains an important market for Guam, and partnerships like this give us an opportunity to work more closely with travel companies that understand Japanese travelers and what they are looking for," Arriola said. He added that the effort spans culture, sports, wellness, family experiences and new attractions — and that increased visitor activity should create revenue opportunities for local businesses and tourism partners.

What does the deal put on the table?

HIS's FY2027 proposal ties the 75,000-visitor target to a set of concrete product initiatives:

• Increased Japanese participation in the Guam Ko'ko' Road Race
• New golf travel packages aimed at the Japanese market
• Promotion of the Guam International Dance Festival to Japanese travelers
• Continued experience-based cultural events at SandCastle, featuring traditional Guam culture, wellness activities and CHamoru cuisine
• A family-travel campaign built around the popular Japanese children's character Shimajiro
• Travel experiences tied to filming locations of the Japanese TV drama Watashi ga Anata to Iru Riyu 2
• VTuber promotions targeting younger audiences
• Potential projection mapping at Fish Eye Underwater Observatory to create a nighttime attraction

For sellers of travel, the list signals where product development and marketing spend will concentrate through September 2027.

How is HIS changing its own operation?

HIS frames the agreement as more than an arrivals push. The company said it wants "to build a comprehensive co-creative relationship with the Guam Visitors Bureau to elevate the value of the on-island visitor experience itself," redefining travel around a "Wellness & Fun" concept that integrates sports, culture, educational travel and digital initiatives.

The operator has also moved its Guam branch to Tumon Sands Plaza, relocating this past October, and says it will advance digital transformation to improve visitor support on the ground. HIS positions these moves, plus demand generation "across diverse generations," as drivers of sustainable growth for Guam's tourism industry.

What happens next?

The MOU runs through September 30, 2027. GVB and HIS will now develop a detailed action plan, exchange information, and hold regular meetings to monitor progress and identify further areas of cooperation.

Whether the 75,000 target holds will depend on how quickly the new golf, wellness, family and event-based products convert into booked arrivals during the agreement's term.