Puerto Rico Convention Bureau Enjoyed a Healthy Year

This year the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau has confirmed a total of 554 overall group bookings for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2004. Securing 231,400 in room night bookings, thus representing a 4.4 percent increase in overall room nights over the prior year’s figures.

This overall production represents a potential economic impact of approximately U.S. $81MM to the Island’s economy. Part of this production was induced by a major boost in the sports marketing and sales efforts for which the Bureau produced 16,593 room night bookings. The sports market production represents an economic impact of approximately U.S. $5.8 million.

“We’ve finished what I consider a good Fiscal Year 2003-2004 in June,” stated Ana María Viscasillas, president and chief executive officer of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau.

“With a significant increase in new members base and consistent sales production, as well as impressive results in providing group sales leads to both hotels and non-hotel members – we’re seeing more and more that Puerto Rico is indeed becoming the Preferred Meetings Destination of the Americas.”

In terms of new tentative groups, the Bureau’s worldwide sales team generated 1,451 new tentative pieces of business in FY 2003–2004 for future years.

The Bureau’s production of group business for FY 03-04 can be broken down into three main segments, with 42 percent of the Bureau’s business booked by corporate market, 30 percent booked by SMERF (Social, Military, Educational, Religious & Fraternal) market, and 28 percent booked by association market. Industry segments producing the most room nights were health/medical, government, finance/insurance, sports and business/services.