“Tourism is our number one industry, which means it’s the number one avenue to get a job. This administration is pushing for Guam to host even more tourists this year. We’re already seeing more job opportunities in Tumon. The trend we’re seeing is that as tourism arrivals increase, so will the number of jobs available.”— Governor Eddie Baza Calvo
“This is an exciting time to be on Guam — more tourists are coming, more hotels are opening, more jobs are available. If you’re looking for a good, long-term career, consider a move to the tourism industry. There will always be a high demand for good workers in Tumon.” — Lieutenant Governor Ray Tenorio
Growth in Tourism Translating to Jobs and Longer Work Hours
Last year was a banner year in tourism, and this year is shaping up to be even better. While we’ve been able to measure what this means to Guam in terms of taxes collected and the growth of the service sector, the Governor’s Office has been curious as to how this is affecting the job market directly. Our office tasked the Guam Visitors Bureau to informally survey hotels about whether they have been hiring since January this year, and whether they have expanded work hours for their employees.
Executor of Five Hotels Reports Hiring and Longer Work Hours
Ken Corporation, which operates five hotels on Guam, is hiring to fill positions vacated by both resignations and promotions. The company has also increased the number of hours worked by their employees due to the rise in hotel occupancy.
New Hotels Will Need to Hire Tourism Professionals
Two new hotels will be opening soon, and they will need to hire qualified and competent hospitality professionals. Guam’s diversified visitor demographics also calls for more hospitality professionals who speak Japanese, Korean, and Russian, according to GVB.
Employment throughout Hotels
The quarterly Current Employment Report issued by the Department of Labor has been the closest gauge of the tourism job market. The latest report for March 2013 indicated hotels hired 420 more people over the previous year.
Join the Tourism Industry: Training Available at GCC & UOG
With the need for qualified and competent hospitality employees, job seekers can take full advantage of the training programs available at the Guam Community College & the University of Guam.
Governor in Japan to Attract More Tourists to Guam, Expand Job Market Further
Governor Calvo is in Japan meeting with the Governors of Saga and Niigata prefectures, and the Mayors of Karatsu and Kashiwazaki to promote Guam in Japan.
Yesterday Governor Eddie Calvo signed a Statement of Intent to enter into a Friendship Agreement with the Japanese city of Karatsu. Mayor Toshiyuki Sakai of Karatsu City indicated during his speech that this is the start of a relationship between the people of Karatsu and the people of Guam. He looks forward to increased commercial, cultural, and agricultural exchange opportunities.
Photos will follow this release.
*****End of Release*****