Puerto Rico's New Tourism Campaign Does Well

Puerto Rico, which has been buffeted by the Zika crisis and a $72 billion debt crisis, has some good news.

Bookings for the fourth annual Summer Is Easy promotion are outpacing last summer's numbers, according to Ingrid Rivera Rocafort, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC).

"We launched the campaign in April, a month ahead of last year, and it will run through Labor Day," she said. "The intent of the campaign is to promote the destination and drive demand.

"That, combined with our aggressive Zika education program, is working to mitigate any fears visitors may have and to ensure a worry-free vacation during peak summer travel months."

The Summer Is Easy campaign offers incentives such as discounted room rates, free room nights and discounts on attractions and tours through participating wholesalers and other travel sellers. The campaign generated an overall 6% jump in room night sales in May and a 7% rise in June by participating wholesalers.

Bookings through Expedia, one of 17 partners participating in the Summer Is Easy promotion, are running 9.7% above 2015 bookings.

The promotion's early suggests that informed travelers are choosing facts over fear and continuing to book Puerto Rico, according to Rivera Rocafort.

And the efforts to educate travelers about Zika and to assure them of a worry-free vacation appear to be paying off. "We've been aggressive in educating residents and visitors regarding Zika," Rivera Rocafort said. "Our message is clear: protect yourself with repellant; don't come if you are pregnant or plan to be. We've coupled that with weekly updates and bulletins from the CDC and our Department of Health, island-wide pesticide spraying and public-service messaging."

While summer travel will peak in the next month or so, the PRTC already has its eye on the upcoming winter season.

"We want this to be a great winter," Rivera Rocafort said. "Our message to travelers will be: When you think winter, Puerto Rico owns it."

Regardless of the debt issue, Puerto Rico has competitive advantages over other Caribbean destinations, including frequent airlift from the U.S., no travel restrictions, first-class convention and meeting venues and cruise port capacity for mega-class ships.

“The debt will be managed, restructured and supervised and overseen by the U.S. There has been a turnaround now and we have hope that new investors will see Puerto Rico as a viable investment opportunity,” she said.

Meanwhile, key real estate investors have been meeting in recent weeks with Puerto Rico's Economic Development team.

"We hope to have news of new hotel ventures in the near future," Rivera Rocafort said.

Source: Travel Weekly