THE TOURISM INDUSTRY CONTINUES ITS GROWTH AHEAD OF THE SUMMER SEASON
SAN JUAN, PR – May 22, 2018 – The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (CTPR) continues to reach and exceed its goals as the summer season approaches. The announcement about the resurgence of Puerto Rico as a tourist destination and the rapid pace at which the tourism industry has returned to pre-Hurricane María levels was made during the IPW 2018 event of the U.S. Travel Association, one of the leading international tourism fairs and the largest driver of travel sales to the U.S.
“Puerto Rico continues to reap achievements as a result of our strategic plan to ensure the rapid recovery and resurgence of our Island,” indicated Carla Campos, appointed executive director of the CTPR. “The measures implemented have had an effect, and we can confirm that a significant number of cruise passengers are expected for the months of May and June, for fall the number of available seats will return to the same levels as in 2016, and the hotel occupancy rate remains solid, while additional hotels continue to open their doors. These objectives could not have been achieved without the leadership of Governor Ricardo Rosselló and the tremendous support from the private sector of the tourism industry. We continue to welcome thousands of travelers, and all growth indicators reveal that the summer months will be an excellent season for the tourism industry.”
Important milestones reached in leisure and business travel markets include:
· Cruises: Last Wednesday, May 16, the Island welcomed 17,000 cruise passengers to the docks of Old San Juan. With a projected arrival of 131,000 passengers in May and 131,000 in June, the cruise industry is on track for an excellent summer season. The cruise travel market continues to develop this year with the confirmation of 14 ships with the city of San Juan as their homeport, four more than last season. These cruises include the Freedom of the Seas from Royal Caribbean, the Star Pride from Windstar, the Silver Wind from Silverseas, and the Viking Sea. The 2018/2019 cruise season is expected to break the passenger record with 1.7 million visitors and an estimated economic impact of $250 million.
· Air Access: It is estimated that by fall of this year, air access will have returned to last year's levels for this season, at which point tourism was at its highest level. Steadily and surely, Puerto Rico has managed to recover more quickly than other destinations that have gone through similar situations. This increase is due to new routes, increased flight frequencies, and the use of larger capacity aircraft for passengers.
· Hotels: The Island currently has more than 130 hotels and over 11,500 available rooms. An additional 3,500 to 4,000 rooms will be added when renovation work is completed. The Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, El San Juan Hotel, and the St. Regis Bahia Beach will begin operations in October. The CTPR reports that 28 properties are under construction and will add around 1,300 rooms to the current inventory. Among the properties preparing to start operations in different regions of the Island are the ALOFT San Juan Convention Center, the ALOFT Ponce, and the Four Seasons Cayo Largo Resort.
· Tourist Attractions: There are over 134 tourist attractions, 13 golf courses, 16 casinos, and over 4,000 restaurants open and ready for the enjoyment of local and foreign visitors.
On December 20, the CTPR announced to the world that Puerto Rico was ready to welcome visitors. Since then, hotels, restaurants, attractions, artisans, tour operators, and guides have been benefiting from the relentless increase in travelers seeking an excellent vacation in the Caribbean. The recovery strategy and the aggressive marketing plan outlined by the CTPR and private sector partners in the tourism industry have paved the way for a rapid resurgence of tourism, an achievement that continues to be validated by growth indicators.
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