Collaboration between public, private sectors ‘key’ to boosting P.R.’s tourism
Collaboration between the private and public sectors is essential to continue boosting tourism and be able to reach the goal of doubling Puerto Rico’s visitor’s economy.
Such was one of the conclusions of a panel discussion during the first annual Tourism Conference sponsored by Destination Marketing Organization Discover Puerto Rico.
The panel that Discover Puerto Rico CEO Brad Dean moderated included: Puerto Rico Tourism Company Executive Director Carla Campos; Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Manuel Laboy; Rodrick Miller, CEO of Invest Puerto Rico; and, Noelia Garcia, executive director of the Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority.
For Laboy, there are four areas that are “extremely important to achieve a greater boost to Puerto Rico’s tourist economy.”
These are, economic and tourism industry diversification, economic growth impact island wide, synergy among all sectors — such as agriculture, medical tourism, hospitality, among others — and a solid infrastructure.
“We have had many challenges, but there are also many reasons to be optimistic, and one of those is what Discover Puerto Rico is achieving,” Laboy said.
Meanwhile, Campos highlighted the importance of supplying the demand for passengers, stressing the fact that 2018 broke records in cruise arrivals and 2019 is set to become a historic year for cruises using San Juan as homeport.
She also said tourism is one of the island’s most important employment indicators.
“Our business depends on the efforts Discover Puerto Rico is doing, so we have a lot of expectations from them,” said García.
Dean used as an example of collaboration the upcoming celebration of the 2020 World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit, the most important event of the tourism industry worldwide, to be held in Puerto Rico in April 2020.
“When the opportunity became a reality, they all said yes and we have been working closely to make this event a success,” said Dean.
