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From our advertiser Meet Puerto Rico
Yes, Puerto Rico has all the elements one would expect from a tropical island: fabulous resorts, balmy rainforests, and rollicking nightlife. But it’s also the best developed meeting destination in the Caribbean, offering 1.3 million square feet of meeting space and more than 15,000 hotel rooms across the island. That proposition is about to get even better: in San Juan, a burgeoning entertainment district and spruced up hotels promise to further round out the city’s convention package. Read on for 10 more reasons why Puerto Rico is a destination to watch right now.
1. Puerto Rico isn’t the average vacation destination. It’s where groups can bond through only-in-PR experiences, such as kayaking in three of five of the world’s bioluminescent bays, flying down the world’s highest and longest zip line, or hiking through the only tropical rain forest in the United States’ National Forest System.
2. The meeting facilities are second to none. San Juan’s Puerto Rico Convention Center (PRCC) is the largest and most technologically advanced in the Caribbean, offering 600,000 square feet of space for groups of up to 10,000.
3. And they have set a new standard for sustainability. Tens of thousands of solar panels generate about 8,000mWh of electricity annually for the PRCC, earning it an award for best electrical and environmental project from the Puerto Rico Engineers and Surveyors Association.
4. The airport is modern and new. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport has invested $500 million within the last few years to elevate the passenger experience, speed up security checkpoints, and improve the baggage handling system. Attendees can get here on one of more than 2,000 nonstop flights arriving weekly from the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the rest of the Caribbean.
5. And its capital city is as historic as it gets. Old San Juan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has more than 500 years of history to explore. And with the opening of the Paseo Puerta de Tierra development last year, the area is now easier to navigate on foot with new bike lanes and promenades that link the area with the PRCC.
6. Coming in 2019: a world-class convention district. District Live!, a five-acre entertainment district being developed adjacent to the PRCC, will consist of a 6,000-seat concert and entertainment venue, a 170-room luxury hotel, as well as a long list of attractions and event venues, including a 44,000-square-foot plaza that will have the Caribbean’s largest LED screen and outdoor stages for festivals and performances.
7. San Juan has a solid hotel inventory. Within eight miles of the PRCC are more than 8,000 hotel rooms, many of which are conveniently located within the tourist zones of Condado and Isla Verde. A number of them are currently completing renovations, including the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel, which renovated all 240 of its guestrooms and meeting space last year. The landmark El San Juan Hotel completed a top-to-bottom renovation and reopened to the public on February 2017.
8. They won’t have to pack their passport. Although they will feel like they’re escaping to a far-off island, since Puerto Rico is a U.S. Commonwealth, U.S.-based attendees won’t have to deal with the hassle of international travel. That means no waiting at immigration or customs, no visas, and one less thing to worry about, because no passport required for U.S. citizens.
9. It’s pretty much always “shorts” weather. The average temperature in Puerto Rico hovers around 82 degrees along with a forecast that likely calls for sunny skies and balmy breezes.
10. Meet Puerto Rico has 54 years of experience hosting successful meetings. The official convention bureau for the Island, Meet Puerto Rico is the where the planning process begins. Complimentary services for planners include assistance with everything from attendance building to sourcing suppliers from the bureau’s 300-strong membership.