by Brian Major
Last updated: 11:20 AM ET, Thu February 28, 2019
Discover Puerto Rico launched a new website in an initiative intended to push the island's annual visitor arrivals closer to those of the Caribbean's top-drawing tourism destinations, officials at the not-for-profit destination marketing organization said Thursday.
"More than 77,000 people make up the Puerto Rico tourism industry and it is a vital contributor to the Island's economy," said Brad Dean, Discover Puerto Rico's CEO. "Our digital presence is every bit as important as what we have to offer on the ground and it's critical to create a positive first and lasting impression for the destination."
The website re-launch follows a site audit and insight from two digital consumer studies, said Dean, who said it incorporates current technology and industry best practices for improved content display, site security and search optimization. The site also features more than 300 pages of multimedia content featuring various Puerto Rico regions.
The site targets leisure travelers, meeting planners and wedding groups. Articles and listings for thousands of Puerto Rico businesses and points of interest provide travelers with options for dining, accommodations, activities and attractions. Users can also select targeted categories including sports and outdoor activities, history and culture, arts and music, and entertainment and events.
Discover Puerto Rico officials promised more upgrades as the group seeks to "develop Puerto Rico's brand equity [and] lead the way in the tourism industry," said Dean.
"New articles, videos, an event calendar and additional functionality will be added over the coming months in time for Puerto Rico's brand re-positioning," said Leah Chandler, Discover Puerto Rico chief marketing officer. "With more in-depth planning information and direct access to local businesses, the website inspires consumers to choose Puerto Rico over competing destinations."
Puerto Rico hosted 808,371 overnight visitors between January and August of 2018, a 40.6 percent decline according to Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) data. Puerto Rico's struggles following hurricanes Irene and Maria in September 2017 clearly impacted its depressed first-half 2018 arrivals.
The previous year Puerto Rico hosted 3.47 million visitors, making it one of only four Caribbean destinations to exceed 3.0 million overnight guests that year (joining Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Cancun, Mexico).
However, Puerto Rico's 2017 arrivals were a sharp decline from the 3.74 million guests the island hosted in 2016 and halted an annual growth pattern that extended back to 2014.
Cruise-ship arrivals threw Puerto Rico a life preserver in 2018 with a 35 percent increase with 1.66 million arrivals between January and December. In fact, Puerto Rico was the fifth-largest cruise ship destination in 2018.
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