15,000 guest rooms throughout the Island, a world-class convention
center, an increasing range of accommodation options, a menu of social
media offerings and a growing list of awards and accolades, Puerto Rico
continues to offer meeting planners a wide variety of meeting and event
options, from city-wide’s to luxury CEO board meetings while ensuring a
distinctive and memorable experience.
Meet Puerto Rico can accommodate large groups through a wide variety
of hotels, including many new builds from some of the top global brands,
the Caribbean’s largest, and most technically advanced Convention
Center, and destination offerings of food, culture and activities that
make Puerto Rico a memorable experience.
“Puerto Rico continues to add top-quality products to accommodate
large city-wide conventions, as well as new luxury properties to address
that growing market,” stated Milton Segarra, president & CEO, Meet
Puerto Rico. “Adding new properties, services and amenities that are of
great benefit to meeting and convention groups, in addition to
our new and more frequent airlift and expansion of the Convention Center
district, demonstrates our strength and vitality within the tourism and
convention sector.”
NEW PROPERTIES, RENOVATIONS AND UPGRADES
The past fiscal year showed hotels and other tourism entities having
completed, or are undergoing major renovations that totaled more than a
$100 million investment. This year that growth continues with these new
additions (by region):
AIRPORTS & AIRLIFT
Puerto Rico continues to serve as the Caribbean region’s leader in
airlift with over 1,800 weekly non-stop and direct flights from the
Mainland U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean. Recent
airport announcements and increased air service updates include:
- The Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport has had an investment of almost $150 million during
the past three years. The multi-million dollar investment includes
modernization and renovation and
capability to screen up to 1,800 passengers per hour, a
new baggage handling system and 22 jet bridges. Aerostar has improved the passenger
experience by adding new amenities like Wi-Fi throughout the airport.
- Sun Country Airlines started last
May with nonstop service between Ft. Myers Southwest Florida
International Airport (RSW) and San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International
Airport (SJU) with two weekly flights. During the
height of the tourism high season, Sun Country added a third weekly
flight to San Juan.
- Volaris, a Mexican low-cost airline based in Mexico
City, now serves Cancún-San Juan nonstop, Thursdays and Sundays.
Volaris is Mexico’s second largest airline.
- Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA is the third largest
low-cost carrier in Europe, the second-largest airline in Scandinavia,
and the ninth-largest airline in Europe in terms of passenger numbers.
Norwegian just started operating to SJU on a seasonal basis from
November 2015 to March 2016.
U.S. citizens can travel overseas and not have
to carry a passport as the flight is considered domestic, and with more
than 1,800 weekly flights from the U.S and international destinations,
Puerto Rico is undeniably a quick Caribbean getaway for Americans. We
use U.S. currency and work within all of the U.S. laws governing
meetings and travel in the
Caribbean.
