Governor Luis Fortuño’s public support of establishing a Destination Marketing Organization for Puerto Rico took members of the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association by surprise Wednesday, but they are ready to take him up on his word, the trade group’s president Ismael Vega said.
Puerto Rico has a great opportunity and can be a powerful competitor in global tourism but it has a way to go to reach those goals, as it must first become a stronger player in the island’s economic development, where it only represents between 6 percent and 8 percent of the overall activity.
The Northeastern Technological Initiative, known as INTENE, is looking to establish a marketing identity for the 10-town region it represents through the recent launch of the “Name the eastern tourism region” campaign. The effort is one component of a multi-pronged plan the nonprofit group has to boost economic activity along the island’s northeastern flanks.