GVB Partners with U.S. Commercial Services For USA Destination Seminar in Hong Kong

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. April 05, 2010

TUMON, Guam - April 2, 2010 - Guam Visitors Bureau partnered with the U.S. Commercial Service for USA Destination Seminar in Hong Kong on March 26, 2010, an effort aimed at propelling Guam and the United States as a destination of choice for travelers from Hong Kong.

The seminar, sponsored by the U.S. Commercial Service, created a single platform for U.S. suppliers to promote their destination, products or services to travel trade and media from Hong Kong.

More than 70 media and travel trade attended the event, of which nearly 90 percent were travel agents. The venture timed with a move by Continental Airlines to resume direct flights between Hong Kong and Guam twice weekly beginning April 2.

“Our goal at USA Destination Seminar was to not only show travel agencies how much our island has to offer, but how easy it is for visitors to come from Hong Kong,” said GVB General Manager Gerald S.A. Perez. “Between the inclusion of Hong Kong in the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program and the continuation of direct flights by Continental, it's now easier than ever for visitors to vacation in Guam.”

As of November 2009, the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program began allowing visitors from 16 countries including Hong Kong to travel to Guam and stay up to 45 days without securing a visa in the United States.

Officials from the U.S. Consulate were on hand at the seminar to address any questions from travel trade or potential visitors about the new program. Several Hong Kong travel agents expressed interest to GVB in developing new Guam travel packages during the seminar.

All nonimmigrant visa applicants need to review the U.S. Embassies or Consulates website for specific how-to-apply information. Starting March 1, 2010, the U.S. Embassies or Consulates require all applicants to use the new DS-160 online application form. For more detailed instructions, please visit https://ceac.state.gov/genniv.

Founded in 1980, the U.S. Commercial Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce to assist U.S. companies, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, to sell in international markets. The network consists of 107 U.S. Export Assistance Centers throughout all 50 United States and 156 offices overseas in 80 countries.