Meet Puerto Rico (MPR), the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) responsible for attracting meetings, conventions, trade shows, sporting events and incentive groups to Puerto Rico kicked off the new fiscal year focusing on its mission to generate economic activity by attracting groups and conventions to the island, through an aggressive year-long sales calendar including activities in major markets in North America, Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean, announced Milton Segarra, CDMA, president and CEO of the organization.
The calendar of opportunities includes approximately 60 sales and promotional events, including trade fairs, press trips and networking activities, in cities such as Frankfurt (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Mexico City (Mexico), Chicago (USA), Orlando (USA), Las Vegas (USA), Toronto (Canada) and Montego Bay (Jamaica). Meet Puerto Rico’s partners will participate as well to continue strengthening the destination’s message, said Segarra.
“Puerto Rico’s tourism ecosystem is broad and offers an authentic and first-rate experience,” said Segarra. “Our partners’ reputation of successfully competing on a global scale in the groups and conventions market is priceless,” said Segarra. “Having them join us at these events is allows us to reach even more potential customers and adds a value to our offerings so that potential customers find out firsthand what we can offer them as a destination.”
Segarra said Meet Puerto Rico’s efforts to attract groups and conventions to the island have not diminished after Governor Ricardo Rosselló recently signed a law that enables the creation of a DMO. Notwithstanding the challenges and adversities faced during 2016, Meet Puerto Rico managed to attract more than 220 groups to the island, generating an economic impact of approximately $120 million.
“We are confident that implementing the DMO will be of great benefit to our industry, but at the same time it is crucial to continue maximizing our sales efforts during this transition period so that the industry will be strengthened and ready for exponential growth once the new organization takes over,” said Segarra.
