Puerto Rico Relaunches Travel Expert Program

by TravelPulse Staff
Last updated: 7:29 AM ET, Fri October 24, 2008

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) announced the relaunch of the Puerto Rico Travel Expert (PRTE) Program. This program, aimed at U.S.-based travel agents, seeks to increase travel professionals' proficiency in Puerto Rico's tourism offerings. The program consists of two phases. Phase I provides an introduction to Puerto Rico and empowers travel professionals with a basic understanding of Puerto Rico's offerings. Successful completion of Phase I includes the opportunity to participate in a familiarization trip to Puerto Rico. Phase II provides travel professionals with an opportunity to develop expertise in any of the following areas: Golf & Luxury Travel, Paradores & Porta del Sol/Porta Caribe, The Islands of Puerto Rico -- Vieques and Culebra, Nature & Adventure, Pre- and Post-Cruise Packages and Scuba Diving.

"As Puerto Rico offers so much as a destination, it was imperative for us to develop a program that made it easy for travel professionals to learn as much about our island as possible so they can provide their clients with accurate information," said Terestella Gonzalez-Denton, executive director of PRTC. "We believe this knowledge of Puerto Rico's hotels and other cultural and adventure offerings is best complemented by first-hand experience, which is why we are thrilled to make familiarization trips an integral part of the Puerto Rico Travel Expert curriculum." The PRTE program is open to all travel agents who are employed by an ARC/IATA/IATAN-approved company, ASTA members and/or holders of current ACE, CTA and CTC, DS or TCI certification, as well as members of CLIA, NACTA and OSSN. For more information, call 800-866-7827 or visit www.GoToPuertoRico.com.

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