Meetings & Events
Full Steam Ahead for Puerto Rico By Carla Campos, Executive Director, Puerto Rico Tourism Company
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or the fourth time, Puerto Rico welcomes the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, and there’s simply no better time to host cruise industry stakeholders, executives and our friends. As we get ready to host this world-class conference for four years in a row in magical San Juan, the Island has made a remarkable comeback, driven by the opportunity to reimagine our future by placing tourism at the forefront of our resurgence. Let there be no mistake, Puerto Rico is back and better than ever! CRUISING INDUSTRY AT THE FOREFRONT The power of travel and tourism was revealed over a year ago, as the travel industry showed an outpouring of support for Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the September 2017 hurricanes that made landfall on numerous Caribbean islands. Through solidarity, the will to come back stronger and seizing the opportunity to build even better, Puerto Rico embarked on a historic journey to revamp our destination in the most resilient way. As the world watched, our people and partners worked full steam ahead. In just two weeks, the Port of San Juan was operating homeports, and at the two-month mark, the Island received its first transit calls, greeted by a true celebration of color, music and
30 THIRD QUARTER 2018 | TRAVEL & CRUISE
full itineraries. Through it all, the cruise industry showed outstanding leadership, working alongside the Government of Puerto Rico every step of the way.
dance, a sign that we were back to showing our hospitality in record time. These milestones were not just important for Puerto Rico, but for the rest of the Caribbean as well, which needed the Caribbean’s key port destination to be up and running to resume
“AS THE WORLD WATCHED, OUR PEOPLE AND PARTNERS WORKED FULL STEAM AHEAD.”
AN IMPROVED EXPERIENCE Today, Puerto Rico has revealed a revamped offering to delight and amaze our guests. Homeporting passengers stay at renovated hotels before and after their cruise experience. One third of the Island’s hotel inventory has been overhauled and new hotels have opened their doors. The most exciting openings, like District Live!, an entertainment venue unlike any other, will be ready by the time the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show meets again at the Convention District in 2019. Puerto Rico’s shore excursion providers are also offering innovative and authentic tours for our visitors, including historic nighttime outings, culinary experiences and meaningful travel itineraries. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company has led the way in reinforcing service and quality principles through ongoing training opportunities. Furthermore, the Port of Ponce, in the south of the Island, is becoming a key player for cruising, receiving calls from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Holland
