The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) announced today a surge in visitors across the Island over the Easter and Passover holidays and Spring Break. From the island of Culebra off the northeast coast to the southwest region of Cabo Rojo, small family-owned inns to major hotels throughout the Island, as well as in San Juan, were bustling with crowds enjoying the beaches, diverse attractions and nightlife over the long weekend. This is evidence of U.S. travelers’ growing trust in Puerto Rico’s readiness to welcome them again.
“We’ve been encouraging travelers since late December to visit and see first-hand our comeback for themselves. Alongside the reminder that one of the best ways people can support Puerto Rico is by visiting – staying at hotels, eating at restaurants, enjoying our Island’s activities, and buying from local businesses, our ‘we’re open for tourism’ message is being heard loud and clear,” said Acting Executive Director of the PRTC, Carla Campos.
With the recent launch of its new creative online videos, PRTC is reminding travelers that Puerto Rico is ‘Ready to Enchant You,’ and preliminary Spring Break numbers are showing that many travelers are taking the Island up on that offer. With data showing record-breaking performance amongst the 130 hotels that are currently greeting visitors, the outlook of tourism is very positive for the rest of 2018. Responsible for contributing roughly 10% of the GDP, tourism is not only vital to the Island’s economy – it’s a cornerstone of Governor Ricardo Rosselló Nevares’ economic development agenda.
• The Wyndham Rio Mar in Rio Grande on the northeast coast of the Island had a historical weekend, reaching occupancy and overall sales levels never reached before. They welcomed hundreds of travelers who enjoyed yoga classes on-site, holiday festivities throughout the resort and tours to part of the nearby El Yunque, the largest tropical rainforest in the U.S.
• Another popular attraction has been “El Monstruo,” a zipline that spans 28 football fields in Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park in Orocovis, a town in the center of the Island.
• The Rincon of the Seas Grand Caribbean Hotel in the west coast town of Rincon, known to be a surfer’s paradise with its stunning beaches and active waves, experienced occupancy levels of 99 percent all weekend, as well.
• Club Seaborne, a stunning boutique hotel in Culebra, also reached full capacity. Culebra is home to Flamenco Beach, internationally recognized for being one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
In addition to plenty of unique attractions to enjoy and accommodations to stay in, big ticket events are also back.
• This week, San Juan Moda, where the biggest names in Puerto Rican fashion will gather to celebrate the Island’s cultural influence and arts, is celebrating its 10th edition and is welcoming many visitors from mainland U.S. and the Caribbean.
• Saborea Puerto Rico, a culinary extravaganza, will welcome thousands of international foodies this week, too. For the past ten years, Saborea has been the culinary highlight event of the year, synonymous with world-class cooking, and has continued to position Puerto Rico as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.
• And mid-month, thousands of Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians fans will flock to the Island for the Puerto Rico series on April 17-18 at the Hiram Bithorn stadium in San Juan. The games, which will be the first MLB regular-season contests in Puerto Rico since 2010, will be extra special as Indians catcher Roberto Perez and shortstop Francisco Lindor are from Puerto Rico and will be heading back home. Minnesota players Jose Berrios, Eddie Rosario and Kennys Vargas will also be taking stage to share in their Island’s pride.
With Spring Break underway and summer travel around the corner, Puerto Rico is expected to continue to experience a surge in travelers this year.
