Bustamante tapped to chair Convention Bureau board
Raul Bustamante
Veteran hotelier Raúl Bustamante has been named chairman of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau’s board of directors, the trade group announced Monday. Gov. Luis Fortuño, who had appointed Bustamante as member of the board in August 2011, designated him to the new post.
A longtime supporter of the Bureau, its mission and vision, Bustamante had held the position of Chairman of the Board from 2000 to 2004, and had served the organization continuously since 1994 until 2004 in other board positions, including secretary and vice-chairman.
During his tenure, Bustamante helped define the marketing strategies to promote and sell the Puerto Rico Convention Center. In his role as chairman, Bustamante will be working closely with Neil J. Mullanaphy, the Bureau’s newly appointed senior vice president of sales.
“The Puerto Rico Convention Bureau is an award-winning, well-respected organization within the global meetings and conventions arena; over the course of its half-Century in operations this institution has successfully positioned Puerto Rico as a world-class destination for meetings and conventions,” Bustamante said. “I am honored in having the opportunity to play a significant role in the future of the organization, and to contribute to the continued development and success of this important segment of Puerto Rico’s tourism industry.”
A seasoned hotel executive, Bustamante is a native of Colombia who has worked in Puerto Rico’s hospitality industry for more than two decades. At present, he is the managing director of the 570-room Condado Plaza Hotel and Casino.
