Amid a Healthy Rebound, Puerto Rico Unveils Fresh Branding Initiative and New Developments

July 28, 2022

Puerto Rico is no stranger to crises, having faced and overcome major challenges such as the Zika virus outbreak and Hurricane Irma over the past several years. COVID-19 has been no exception, with the destination showing its profound resiliency as it emerges from the pandemic.

Brad Dean, president and CEO of Discover Puerto Rico, recently highlighted some of the promising numbers along with a newly launched branding initiative for event attendees and venue developments.

“Rebuilding has been vitally important over the past four years and to position Puerto Rico to not just come back but to come back bigger and better and stronger,” Dean said. “And to not just recover but to put the transformative power of tourism to work for our people and realize the importance of meetings and events, perhaps more so today than ever before”

He added, “We're excited about what lies ahead, especially as it relates to meetings and events.”

Discover Puerto Rico released the following industry statistics that point toward continued optimism:

  • As of end of March, Puerto Rico saw the highest non-resident visitor spending, totaling $4.5 billion.
     
  • Total lodging revenue through May was 56% higher than the same period last year.
     
  • To date, hotels have generated $469.8 million in revenue, the highest number since 2015, when it totaled $406.2 million, resulting in a 15.6% increase.
     
  • Year-to-date, San Juan Airport arrivals reached a 23% increase over the same period in 2021, with just over 2.1 million passengers reported, the highest number since 2017. In May, the airport welcomed 465,000 arrivals, a 4% increase over May 2021.

Key meetings and events industry statistics and developments include the following:

  • Through September, hotels are booking 20% higher than the same period last year, highly driven by increases in group bookings, which have risen 35% over pre-pandemic levels.
     
  • Puerto Rico will be hosting and participating in a variety of upcoming conventions, sporting events, trade shows and conferences.
     
  • The Island most recently hosted Connect Marketplace and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) in May and will also be hosting the U.S. Travel Association Summer Board of Directors Meeting in July and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) in October.

Boricua Branding


Meanwhile, Discover Puerto Rico is inviting event professionals to take advantage of its newly launched “Live Boricua” campaign, which aims to tap into the lively spirit of the Puerto Rican people and the rich cultural heritage of the island.

“Boricua is used to refer to someone of Puerto Rican descent, but what we’re really referring to with the campaign is the lifestyle of the island’s people—their joyful, passionate exuberance,” Dean said. “We believe this is a critical component to travel and tourism, and in particular, meetings and events.”

He added, “It’s an invitation to come for business but more importantly, to come alive with the experiences and immersing yourself in the vibrant culture.”

Following are some of the many ways event professionals and attendees can enjoy Puerto Rican culture while attending events on the island: 

  • Art Experiences: The Island boasts everything from colorful and vibrant street murals to contemporary and chic art museums.
     
  • Food and Beverage: Attendees can experience local flavors, highly influenced by Puerto Rico’s unique blend of African, Spanish and Taino heritages, through food tours with local guides. Experiences such as touring coffee haciendas, rum distilleries and farms are also widely available to showcase the behind-the-scenes processes of some of the island’s most important products. 
     
  • Nature and Adventure: Puerto Rico boasts incredible natural wonders and ecosystems that allow visitors to enjoy the outdoors, including visiting a Bio Bay—Puerto Rico houses three of the world’s five bioluminescent bays—and hiking or bathing in natural pools at El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. 
     
  • Team-Building and CSR: Puerto Rico offers a wide variety of team-building activities as well as experiences that can help meet an organization’s corporate social responsibility goals. Examples include salsa and bomba workshops, rainforest hunts and visits to local art galleries.

Expanding Venue Lineup

Discover Puerto Rico also shed light on the island’s improving portfolio of meeting and event venues, starting with Distrito T-Mobile, which opened in 2021 next to the Puerto Rico Convention Center.

The five-acre experiential complex is an ideal option for off-site events, conventions and performances, offering a multisensory, audiovisual and technologically advanced experience. Distrito T-Mobile was designed to be the best in global retail, destination dining, art, entertainment, music, technology, and hospitality.

Highlights include more than 14,000 square feet of LED displays and sensory-engagement technology, including the largest 4K horizontal LED screen in the Americas. Distrito T-Mobile also features the Coca-Cola Music Hall, a state-of-the-art concert facility that can accommodate up to 2,000 all-seated to 4,000 mostly standing attendees.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico currently has more than 163 hotel options with nearly 14,500 rooms open and operating to host event attendees.

Recent developments include the following:

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    Partner Voices
    Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.