Guam hosts first familiarization tour from Japan

(Tumon, Guam) As an encouraging sign of recovery, the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) is hosting its first familiarization (fam) tour from Japan since the pandemic began.

The fam tour is for the editorial team of TabiMUSE, a popular online travel platform from Japan that caters to female, Gen Z, and adventure travelers. GVB welcomed the editorial team of TabiMUSE CEO Nami Nonomura and Writer/Photographer Emi Kiryu last night at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport. The team will be on island through November 20, 2021.

“We are thankful for the exposure that TabiMUSE will provide during their stay on Guam. As conditions improve in both Japan and Guam, we are encouraged that overseas travel will begin to flourish in the months ahead. This fam tour will show how our island has safely adapted during this pandemic and help potential Japanese visitors choose Guam as their preferred overseas travel destination,” said GVB Director of Global Marketing Nadine Leon Guerrero.

TabiMUSE formed a community of more than 40,000 unique followers and developed sophisticated travel stories by select travel influencers. The business also engages in live productions on social media that they produce with tourism bureaus and tours from around the world. TabiMUSE will post updates on their Instagram page @tabimuse as they document local activities, marine sports, and sightseeing around the island. Guam was previously featured on the platform in September.

Guam initiatives in Japan

In addition to TabiMUSE, GVB has other initiatives to kick-start the resumption of overseas travel to Guam through various social media campaigns. The bureau partnered with United Airlines to welcome popular Japanese television show, Tabi Salad, for a two-part travel feature on Guam that aired on November 6 and 13 in Japan. 

GVB also plans to work with HypeBeast, an influential organization that features fashion, streetwear, art, culture, and music in different demographics in Japan.

GVB will also be selecting six ambassadors in Japan through an ambassador audition competition that will be done through online voting in the country. The ambassadors will travel to Guam to document their experiences and highlight the island’s culture, beaches, sports, food, and other aspects.

More familiarization tours will be planned in the first part of 2022.