(September 28, 2011; Tumon, Guam) GVB delegation attended the Shanghai Expat show to create awareness and promote Guam as a unique must-see destination to expats living in Shanghai. GVB members also heightened awareness about the Guam Micronesia Island Fair and Ko’ko’ Road Race, conducted media interviews, and met with U.S. Commercial Services, Philippine Airlines, Continental/United, Shanghai Ba-Shi Int'l Travel Co., Ltd., and M3 Elite Club.

Over 7,500 visitors from more than 80 nations attended the 5th Annual Expat Show Shanghai on September 16-18, 2011. Approximately 175 companies, both domestic and international, exhibited.

The Guam Visitors Bureau booth was visited by hundreds of expats and locals living in Shanghai. Many were keen to know about Guam and the surrounding Micronesia islands. Each person visiting GVB booth was given a brief overview of Guam culture, food, activities, and accommodations. Guam general information, adventure, dive and World War II factsheets, and flyers on the Guam Micronesia Island Fair and Ko’ko’ Road Race were shared. Scheduled media interviews were conducted at the booth with Shanghai Daily and Shanghai Business Review.

GVB delegation left Shanghai on Friday, September 16 to join other U.S. travel suppliers to conduct the U.S. Luxury Travel Promotion and Group Leisure Travel (GLT) Program Seminar in Hangzhou.

In his opening remarks, U.S. Consul Robert Griffiths noted that by 2016, more Chinese will visit the U.S. than Australians, Italians, French, and Germans. This means that in the next five years, Chinese visitors to the U.S. will triple in numbers. He reported that 250 visas are processed per day through the GLT program. In prior years, only 10 visas were processed daily. Further, in 2010 more than 250,000 visas were processed and 90% were non-immigrant visa applicants. As of August 2011, nearly 250,000 have been processed.

GVB was the first to make a 10-minute destination presentation and provided two lucky draw prizes - a Gucci purse valued at US$1,300 and a Monte Blanc wallet valued at US$200. Both prizes were donated by DFS Galleria.

GVB also met with Shen Feng of Shanghai Ba-Shi Int’l Travel Co., Ltd., which has spent US$100,000 to promote Guam charters. As a result of this meeting, an additional two charter flights to Guam were arranged for after the 2012 Chinese New Year. As well, Jin Yi, Manager of Zhejiang CTS, and Jin Lan, Vice General Manager of Hangzhou Overseas International Travel Service, advised GVB that they have confirmed two charters from Hangzhou for the 2012 Chinese New Year.

GVB met with travel industry professionals at the 2011 Expat Show in Shanghai on September 16, 2011. L-R: Gina Kono, GVB Marketing Officer; Pilar Laguaña, GVB Marketing Manager; Geri Zhuang, Philippine Airlines Supervisor for Passenger Sales; and Shirley Wang, Shanghai Qiangsheng International Travel Service Representative.