Trump vows Guam will see a ‘ten-fold’ boost in tourism despite North Korea nuke threat – as locals pray for peace
PRESIDENT Trump has tipped tourism on the Pacific island of Guam to boom TENFOLD - even though North Korea has vowed to target it with NUKES.
An upbeat Trump made his bizarre prediction during a phone call to the governor of Guam to reassure him all his residents are safe.
A video shows Governor Eddie Baza Calvo laughing and joking with the president as they discuss the crisis which has enveloped the island.
Trump opened the conversation by telling Calvo: “ Good morning, good morning. Great to speak with you. Good morning.
"I just wanted to pay my respects and we are with you 1,000. You are safe. We’re with you 1,000 percent. I just wanted to call and say hello.’’
Calvo answers, “as the governor of Guam representing the people of Guam and as an American citizen, I never felt more safe or confident.
Trump then adds: “We’re going to do a great job for you. . . All over the world they’re talking about Guam. . . Tourism is going to go up ten fold. It looks beautiful.’’
Calvo replies: “It’s paradise.’’
Trump then told the governor: “You seem like a hell of a guy.’’
And it looks like Guam is also keen to cash in on its new found fame.
“The circumstances are unfortunate but this is a good opportunity for us to educate the world about Guam and our culture, about where we are, and who we are,” Josh Tyquiengco of the Guam Visitors Bureau told Agence France-Presse.
“Guam is more than a military base. We are a safe family destination. We reassure potential visitors that we continue to be a safe … place to visit.”
Sitting about 2,100 miles from trigger-happy North Korea, Guam is the 32nd-largest American island - but looms large in the escalating war of words between Kim and President Trump.
Last week Kim Jong-un's military revealed it was readying to launch FOUR Hwasong nukes towards Guam sometime in mid August.
However, any fears of a potential attack have not kept tourists away, according to Tyquiengco.
“We heard about a few booking cancellations from South Korea, but it’s too minimal to affect the industry,” he said.
Building contractor Mike Delaney, 45, from New Moston, Manchester, said: “Panic? You must be joking. I’ve had a long, hard week and I’m planning to throw a barbecue and sink a few pints with friends.”
Mike, who is working on a project at Guam’s giant US Navy base, added: “Whatever’s going to happen is going to happen, so all you can really do is carry on as normal.”
And Nottingham-born Julian Walker, who has lived on the island for 27 years, was also dismissive.
Julian, 57, told the “We’ve been through all this before with that fat little son of a bitch.
"Everyone’s going about their daily business as usual and I haven’t run into a single person who says they’re scared.”
Gov. Calvo earlier channelled Trump by saying any attack on Guam “would be met with overwhelming force,” pointing out that the biggest threat facing the island was the looming typhoon season.
“With that, everybody should conduct their lives like business as usual. It’s the weekend. Go out, have a good time, enjoy the beaches tomorrow and live your lives.
“At this point, there are thousands of tourists coming in on a daily basis … from Japan, (South) Korea, Taiwan and China and other areas. It is our belief that they should enjoy themselves here.”
In an editorial, the Guam Daily Post said the spotlight on the island offered an opportunity to show the world why an island of 162,000 people draws more than 1.5 million visitors a year.
“The beach waters are crystal clear, beaches aren’t overrun, and nature hiking trails are very accessible,” the editorial said.
“The different cultures that are showcased on the island through food make Guam a hidden gem, a tropical vacation getaway but with the amenities and comforts of some of the small cities stateside.”
Homeland Security spokeswoman Jenna Gaminde told the Guam Daily News that in case of an attack, residents would be immediately notified by sirens from the All-Hazards Alert Warning System located across the island.
“If you hear the sirens, tune into local media - radio, print, television - for further instructions,” she said.
Pyongyang has said it would take less than 18 minutes for a missile to reach the US territory.
But so far, there has been no change in the threat level.
“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. No missile is going to land on Guam,” said Carl Peterson, who serves on the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s armed forces committee.
“We’ve got defense mechanisms in place … they have the ability to seek out the missiles with kinetic energy and destroy it.”