Discover Puerto Rico, UPR Carolina partner to train new tourism professionals
Discover Puerto Rico, which is the island’s destination marketing organization, and the University of Puerto Rico at Carolina (UPRCa) have entered into a collaborative agreement to enhance cooperation and provide UPRCa students from the School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration with seminars, workshops and practical experiences.
Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico, and José Ignacio Meza-Pereira, chancellor of UPRCa, formalized the two-year agreement at a ceremony held at the university.
“At a time when the industry has more than 96,000 workers, the most in Puerto Rico’s history, and when there are many positions to be filled, we want to contribute by developing the next generation of tourism professionals. Our industry needs thousands of workers, and it is increasingly important that we are known not only by our attractions but also by our service and innovation,” said Dean at the event.
“Over the past few years, the tourism industry has experienced an accelerated growth, contributing to the economic development of our island. From academia, we reaffirm our commitment to the industry, our students and island,” Meza-Pereira stated.
“After signing this collaborative agreement, we put all our experience and resources at Discover Puerto Rico’s disposal to strengthen the island’s initiative to become the best tourist destination in the Caribbean. We thank the directors and all the staff of Discover Puerto Rico for trusting our campus with such an important task,” Meza-Pereira added.
Dean emphasized the importance of training new professionals with expertise in service quality, academic innovation and new program development for the industry’s future success.
The agreement includes opportunities for practical industry experience for students, access to industry data for faculty and students, and support for cultural, social, educational research and promotional projects.
Discover Puerto Rico will also have access to UPRCa’s facilities for its own industrial, community, educational, research and promotional initiatives, as well as for hosting industry and educational events.
