## Gua mMsitor s Burea u Solbisio nHisiia n(iuaha n "irlilU! ^
February24 , 201 0 ACTIO N 

## J L S I0-100304-05 3 CONTRO LN O Th e Honorabl e Ra yLaHoo d Secretary , U.S
. Departmen to fTransportatio n — 120 0 Ne wJerse yAvenue , S E Washingto n D.C
. 2059 0 Dea rSecretaryLaHood , I a m writin g t o yo u o n behal fo fth e Gua m Visitor s Burea u (GVB ) i n supporto fContinenta l Micronesia' s applicatio n t o provid e dail ynonsto p servic e betwee n Gua m an d Tokyo' s Haned a Internationa l Airport , whic h i s schedule d t o begi n late rthi s year . Thi s opportunit yi s mad e possibl e fro m you rsucces s i n securin g a n ope n skie s agreemen twit h Japan
. Th e GV B i s a public , non-stoc k privat e corporatio n wit h a due s payin g membershi p o fnearl y40 0 individual s an d businesse s i n ou rcommunit yo f175,000
. Touris m i s th e mos timportan tsecto ro fGuam' s economy , representin g mor e tha n 35 % o fth e island' s Gros s Islan d Produc tan d som e $1. 2 billio n i n annua l revenues . Japanes e tourist s mak e u p 75 % o f Guam' s 1. 2 millio n annua l visitor s an d i s th e island' s mos timportan tmarket
. Eac h Japanes e visito r create s $12 0 i n ta xreceipts , generate s $17 0 i n direc twage s pai d t o Guam workers , an d $11 3 i n incom e t o businesse s tha td o no t directl y"touch " tha tvisitor
. Fro m a regiona l perspective , approva l o fContinental' s applicatio n wil l als o benefi tmor e tha n 200,00 0 resident s livin g i n Micronesia , a grou p o fU.S
. affiliate d island s occupyin g a n ocea n are a th e footprin t equivalen to fth e lowe r4 8 states , an d whos e economie s ar e als o highl ydependen to n tourism
. Th e abilit yo fU.S
. carrier s t o compet e wit h Japanes e airline s i s veryimportan tt o ou rislan d communities , an d Continenta l Micronesi a i s th e righ tchoic e fo rne wHaned a servic e becaus e i t i s th e onl ycarrie r operatin g a hu b o n Guam tha tconnect s th e island s o fMicronesi a t o Japan
. Th e Toky o are a mak e u p abou t50 % o fal l Japanes e visitor s t o Guam , an d Haned a i s th e mos t convenien tgateway , savin g passenger s a n hour' s trave l t o Narita
. Easie racces s t o Gua m fro m Haned a i s o fspecia l benefi tt o familie s wit h youn g children , th e elderly , an d thos e comin g t o th e islan d fo rweddings , whic h no wnumbe rabou t25 % o fal l foreig n oversea s Japanes e wedding s an d a verystrategi cmarke ti n term s o fvolum e an d yield
.

GUA M

## Gua mMsitor s Bureau

Sctbisioi i P)isiiai i (iualia n

SecretaryRayLaHoo d February24 , 201 0 Re : Tokyo' s Haned a Internationa l Airpor t Pag e 2
Fo rGua m an d Micronesi a t o sustai n thei rtouris m industry , i ti s vita l tha tai rconnectivit yt o thei rmos t importan tmarke taffor d convenience , health ycompetition , an d consume rchoice
. Direct ai rservic e t o Gua m fro m Haned a provide s th e ai rservic e tha tenhance s th e financia l securit yo fGua m an d th e region' s touris m industrya ta tim e whe n a stron g regiona l econom yj s neede d t o pa yfo rinfrastructur e an d othe rimprovement s associate d wit h th e relocatio n t o Guam o f8,00 0 marine s i n Okinawa , thei r families , an d supportpersonnel
. Sincerely ,

/ David*B
. Typi

^ Chairma n

GUA M