A Guam delegation led by the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) president and CEO Régine Biscoe Lee, joined by Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero and GVB team members, arrived in Jeju, South Korea, recently to participate in the 2026 Jeju Olle Walking Festival and advance efforts to develop Guam Olle, a new walking trail experience for Guam.
The delegation took part in the three-day festival from November 5 to 7. The festival officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Governor Leon Guerrero, who was among the guests invited to join Jeju Governor Seong-gom Wi and other officials from Jeju, Japan, Mongolia and Taiwan. The festival’s walking activities began in Jocheon, Jeju.
Also representing Guam were GVB board director and Sinajana Mayor Robert Hofmann, Malesso’ Mayor Franklin Champaco, and other GVB staff members, who joined more than 10,000 international participants and tourism representatives in celebrating the festival’s continued promotion of walking tourism and community-based travel.
The visit builds on GVB’s ongoing destination development efforts to improve and expand the island’s walking and nature-based tourism experiences. These include the Sella Bay Overlook Trail project in Humåtak, where GVB is working with Guahan Trail Stewards and community members to explore improvements to trail access, safety and stewardship while protecting the area’s natural and cultural significance. GVB is also supporting broader efforts to strengthen walking experiences in Hagåtña, where pedestrian and heritage trail connections can bring greater attention to the capital’s historical and cultural landmarks.
Through the collaboration, GVB will oversee the development and operation of Guam Olle, while the Jeju Olle Foundation will provide guidance on route design, branding, trail signage and operational practices. Guam Olle is being developed with a targeted official opening in 2027.
“Guam has so much to offer beyond our beaches and resort areas. Our villages, landscapes, history and culture are part of what makes this island special, and walking trails give people another way to experience those things more closely,” said Governor Leon Guerrero.
“We want Guam Olle to be something our residents can enjoy and take pride in, while also giving visitors another meaningful reason to explore our island.”
The delegation’s visit has also drawn interest from Korean media. Governor Leon Guerrero participated in various interviews including KCTV Jeju Broadcasting and Jeju MBC, while Biscoe Lee was interviewed by E-Daily as well as the Jeju Olle media team. The interviews provide an opportunity to share Guam’s efforts to develop its own Olle walking trail network and highlight the island’s participation in the internationally recognized Jeju program.
Jeju Olle has developed a network of 27 routes spanning approximately 437km around Jeju Island. Since its establishment, the trail system has become an internationally recognised example of walking tourism, connecting coastal scenery, forests, villages and local cultural experiences.
For Guam, the initiative represents an opportunity to diversify its tourism offerings through wellness, outdoor recreation and community-based experiences. It also supports GVB’s broader destination management efforts to improve visitor experiences while creating opportunities for local villages, businesses and cultural practitioners to participate in tourism.
“Developing Guam Olle is about creating more ways for people to experience Guam and connecting tourism with the communities that make our island unique,” Biscoe Lee said.
“Working with the Jeju Olle Foundation gives us an opportunity to learn from a program with years of experience and apply those lessons to something that reflects Guam and our people. We look forward to bringing what we learn in Jeju back home as we continue working toward this next step in Guam’s tourism development.”
