This sponsored content was developed in cooperation with Discover Puerto Rico.
Material Partner Engaging a brand-new generation of conference and event organizers is necessary for destinations to remain appropriate, competitive, and lined up with developing trends in cases market, particularly as more millennials move into management roles and Gen Z enters the labor force. These more youthful tourists prioritize genuine experiences that represent local culture, and they’re trying to find meaningful activities that extend beyond the occasion itself.
For Puerto Rico, getting in touch with this next generation has actually indicated purchasing its tourism facilities, focusing on development, and spotlighting the Island’s emergence as a cultural powerhouse. Led by artists like Bad Bunny and Lin Manuel Miranda and evidenced by the worldwide impact of reggaeton, Puerto Rico’s cultural development has actually currently influenced a boost in visitors. The island experienced a 25 percent surge in airline company ticket sales in the 4th quarter of 2023 and a 14 percent year-over-year boost in tourism need in 2023.
SkiftX spoke to Mariela Vallines Fernández, executive director of the Puerto Rico Convention District Authority (PRCDA), and Ed Carey, chief sales officer of Discover Puerto Rico, about what sets conferences in Puerto Rico apart and how the Island is leveraging its cultural appeal– in addition to its robust infrastructure, availability, and technology– to attract the next wave of meeting and event coordinators.
SkiftX: Puerto Rico is having a cultural moment right now. How would you characterize the location’s international impact and significance, and how has this brought brand-new visitors to Puerto Rico over the previous year?
< img width=" 400"height="400
“alt=””data-src =”https://skift.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/3-1.png”src=”image/gif; base64, R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw== “/ > Ed Carey, Chief Sales Officer, Discover Puerto Rico Ed Carey: Puerto Rico is renowned for its rich cultural mix of Taíno, Spanish, and African impacts, adding to worldwide culture through music, dance, food, and art. Celebrated figures like Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ricky Martin, and Julia de Burgos highlight its artistic impact.
Beyond culture, Puerto Rico’s geopolitical significance as a U.S. territory and its strategic Caribbean area are significant. The island’s cultural attraction, magnified globally, is progressively drawing tourists eager for genuine experiences showcasing the island’s diverse heritage and traditions.
SkiftX: How are you thinking of the “next-generation conference participant,” and how is Puerto Rico satisfying their expectations?
Mariela Vallines Fernández, Executive Director, PRCDA Mariela Vallines Fernández: Today’s conference participants want more focused and significant interactions that connect them with local individuals and culture. Puerto Rico uses numerous amazing opportunities to immerse guests in the island’s abundant culture and history, creating a sense of neighborhood and bonding that translates to a natural team-building experience.
Carey: Meetings and occasions end up being more meaningful and unforgettable when individuals are motivated to engage and unleash their imagination in locations with deep-rooted history and vibrant cultural energy– that’s why Puerto Rico is such a perfect option for groups of all sizes.
SkiftX: Puerto Rico just had its greatest year in meetings and occasions in nearly a decade. Why is the island resonating so highly for the meetings and occasions sector today?
Vallines Fernández: Puerto Rico holds the cultural appeal of a global tropical location while still being domestic to the U.S. There is no passport requirement for U.S. residents, and flights are readily available from a range of markets.
Carey: Our development in meetings and events has been driven not just by volume however by the quality of our locations, homes, and activities– subtle sightseeing excursion, luxurious luxury hotels, adrenaline-pumping outdoor experiences, and impressive meeting venues that provide modern-day innovation, advanced connectivity, and customized facilities.
SkiftX: Speaking of locations, what makes the new Distrito T-Mobile complex such a video game changer for how people experience Puerto Rico?
Vallines Fernández: Distrito T-Mobile is a five-acre experiential complex that integrates the best in global retail, dining, art, entertainment, music, innovation, and hospitality. It’s the best option for off-site occasions, conventions, and performances, offering guests a multisensory audiovisual experience through more than 14,000 square feet of LED displays, consisting of the biggest 4K horizontal LED screen in the Americas.
The location is conveniently situated next to the Puerto Rico Convention Center, simply 6 miles from San Juan International Airport. Hotels like the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel and Casino, Hyatt Place, Hyatt Home, Caribe Hilton, The Condado Plaza Hotel, and the newly opened Aloft San Juan are also located within and near to the Convention Center district, making it a perfect site for after-hours networking.
In October, the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) held their 40th-anniversary conference at Distrito T-Mobile, linking LGBTQ+ travelers and buyers. It was the most participated in convention in the association’s history, with over 700 attendees, and contributed over $725,000 in positive financial impact to the island.
SkiftX: What sort of culturally genuine experiences can meeting guests and incentive tourists anticipate to discover in Puerto Rico?
Carey: Opportunities for cultural immersion play a huge part in making Puerto Rico so appealing for fulfilling participants. For example, the town of Loíza is a cultivated pocket of culture best known for its rich African heritage, including locally produced music, dance, cooking customs, and art. One popular choice for visitors searching for cultural immersion is to take part in a bomba class, where they can discover conventional music and dance strategies.
The Island likewise boasts a series of visual art experiences that blend the old with the brand-new. For example, San Juan’s Santurce district is a sanctuary for significant street art. It’s located simply a couple of miles from the Museum of the Americas in Old San Juan. Located inside a historical military barracks, the museum homes art showing the diverse cultures of the Americas, honoring customs, items, and stories from throughout the continent and particularly showcasing native and African influences.
Puerto Rico’s distinct cuisine is another method the island shows its blend of historic impacts. Food tours with local guides and rum distillery trips are a fantastic method to introduce groups to the local gastronomy, as are rum distillery tours, farm sees, and farm-to-table concepts like Fructos del Guacabo, which was featured on Netflix’s “Down to Earth With Zac Efron” show.
Coffee haciendas and plantations are also popular, using more than 200 years of Puerto Rican coffee history. Visitors can experience what production resembled in the 1800s, view how beans are roasted today, and complete the day sipping some of the Island’s finest premium coffee.
SkiftX: What is Puerto Rico’s brand voice and brand identity? How are you positioning the brand within the meetings and events landscape?
Vallines Fernández: Rooted in the island’s spirit, we’re spotlighting Puerto Rico’s cultural DNA with our “Live Boricua” campaign, which embodies the proud and enthusiastic mindset of Puerto Rico’s people.
Carey: Our “Make Your Meeting Boricua” effort, a natural extension for our conferences and events neighborhood, we wish to immerse attendees because state of mind. The project is an invitation to come to Puerto Rico for organization however likewise to remain for enjoyable and experience the island’s Taino, Spanish, and African impacts. We developed the project by teaming up with regional innovators and artists, engaging local community members, and forging genuine local collaborations with hospitality market members.
That’s the blueprint other destination marketing companies (DMOs) need to follow to engage a brand-new generation of conference and event coordinators. Take advantage of what’s distinct to your location, what’s local, and what permits you to raise and separate your experiences for guests. Search for creative ways to collect attendees and unite individuals.
Discover more about the Puerto Rico Convention District Authority and Discover Puerto Rico.
This material was developed collaboratively by Discover Puerto Rico and Skift’s branded material studio, SkiftX.