Guam Prepares to Usher in the New Millennium for the U.S.

Business Editors

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TUMON BAY, Guam--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 30, 1999

All around Guam, final preparations are underway for the many celebrations that will welcome the new millennium.

The first U.S. soil to greet the year 2000, this tropical island in the Western Pacific will ring in the New Year with a blend of traditional customs and modern-day festivities.

Commenting on the pending arrival of 2000, Guam's Governor Carl T.C. Gutierrez remarks, "The people of Guam have been looking forward to the arrival of the year 2000, knowing that we will be the first Americans to experience the new millennium."

"People from many countries have traveled here to share the arrival of 2000," added Guam Visitors Bureau's General Manager James Nelson. "We're optimistic about the continued growth of Guam as an international destination."

Visitors from around the world will join local Guamanians along the beaches, and on hotel balconies overlooking the bay, to watch a special program of synchronized fireworks. The spectacular Tropical Fantasy Fireworks Displays will be held simultaneously at Tumon Bay and Agana Bay.

The hotels, restaurants and night spots in Tumon Bay will host numerous parties and celebrations featuring cultural dancers, exceptional international cuisine and bands and entertainers from Hawaii and the U.S. Mainland.

Many of the hotels on the island have been sold out for months in anticipation of these once-in-a-lifetime celebrations.

While many of Guam's visitors will be taking part in festivities in the Tumon Bay area, others will join local residents in the island's villages for a traditional fiesta. The fiestas combine the traditions of the Chamorros -- who first came to the island from southeast Asia about 3,000 years ago -- and the Spanish, who colonized Guam in the 1500's. These fiestas will be visual and culinary feasts featuring an array of dishes that reflect the island's multi-faceted heritage. Music, an integral part of every fiesta, will include traditional Chamorro songs.

The Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, located on the site of the first Catholic chapel on Guam, will hold a special New Year's fiesta and mass, which will bring together people from around the island. As part of the mass, a traditional hymn will be sung in Chamorro asking for protection during the New Year. The hymn dates back about 200 years and is unique to Guam.

"We always greet the New Year enthusiastically on Guam," says Governor Gutierrez, "but we feel the arrival of a new millennium holds special significance for us. As the westernmost American territory, we play a key role in the linkages that are growing so rapidly between Mainland America and the Asia/Pacific region.

Gutierrez adds, "Our beaches and hotels, the long history of our culture, and our tradition of hospitality make Guam an appealing destination for visitors from around the world. For those reasons, we feel this millennium will provide exceptional opportunities for our island."

ABOUT GUAM

Situated in the Western Pacific, approximately 3,800 miles west of Hawaii and 1,550 miles south of Japan, Guam provides beautiful and uncrowded beaches, world-class diving and snorkeling, and a variety of cultural and historical sites, activities and events. Its geographic location makes Guam the gateway to Micronesia and, with excellent air service to cities throughout Asia, a convenient stop-over point for trans-Pacific travelers.

More information about Guam, its hotels and attractions can be obtained by contacting the North American Office of the Guam Visitors Bureau, 1336-C Park Street, Alameda, CA 94501, [phone]/ (800-US-3-GUAM) or by e-mailing [e-mail]. Or, visit the Guam Web site at www.visitguam.org.

For additional media information on Guam, or to view photos, go to http://www.avisoinc.com/guam/. To download Guam millennium photos, go to http://www.avisoinc.com/guam2000.

NOTE TO EDITORS: When people on the U.S. Mainland wake up on December 31, 1999, the people of Guam will already be celebrating the arrival of 2000. Midnight on Guam is 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and 6 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.