Bordallo requests CBP assistance with visitor arrival wait times, FESTPAC

WASHINGTON, D.C—Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today wrote to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) to request assistance in supporting the Festival of Pacific Arts (FESTPAC) and to address systemic long visitor arrival wait times at the Guam International Airport.

Bordallo requested that CBP surge additional officers to Guam to accommodate the thousands of additional visitors who are anticipated to take part in FESTPAC. She raised concerns that the current CBP force on Guam may not have the resources and personnel to adequately manage visitor arrivals. Surging additional officers to Guam would be consistent with CBP practice for other locations in the U.S. mainland and Hawaii to accommodate large scale sporting and civic events.

Bordallo also requested that CBP address persistent long wait times at GIAA by providing automated kiosks that could expedite foreign visitors who have registered with trusted traveler programs, like Guam’s ESTA program. She noted that similar technologies have been deployed to other international airports, like Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. and O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.

“Guam’s visitor industry is the primary base of our economy. Guam’s international airport is the first impression that visitors have of our island, and it is critical that we efficiently process them through the immigration and customs process and minimize visitor arrival wait times. While I understand these challenges are not unique to Guam, wait times between 100 and 180 minutes is unacceptable. I strongly believe that utilizing new technologies, especially for trusted travelers, could significantly reduce these wait times. I hope that CBP will work with GIAA, GVB, and other local stakeholders to address this problem so that Guam can continue to be a preferred destination for foreign visitors.

“I also hope that CBP will support FESTPAC and provide additional resources and personnel to accommodate the large increase in foreign visitors to Guam during the festival. FESTPAC organizers anticipate more than 12,000 additional visitors to come to Guam to take part in the festival, and I am concerned that CBP’s current force will be strained by this large influx of arrivals. I have asked Commissioner Kerikowske to surge additional officers to Guam for FESTPAC, which would be similar to CBP practice for other large scale events around the country. I look forward to working with CBP and other federal partners and local stakeholders to ensure that Guam is ready to host FESTPAC and extend our warm hospitality to our visitors.”