by Brian Major
Last updated: 2:37 PM ET, Fri November 5, 2021
Discover Puerto Rico will roughly double its current spending on island marketing and promotion initiatives via $120 million in funds provided to the destination marketing organization (DMO) through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), said Pedro Pierluisi, the territory's governor.
In a press briefing Thursday, Pierluisi outlined Puerto Rico's investment strategy for $4 billion in ARP funds, which includes significant spending in the tourism sector. Pierluisi identified travel to Puerto Rico as crucial to the island's continuing recovery from the pandemic and earlier challenges including Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
"We will improve and strengthen our brand domestically and globally and also increase our marketing and communications initiatives through our global partners to broaden our reach to new segments and further increase the awareness and desirability of our island," said Pierluisi.
In addition, Puerto Rico will allocate $50 million in ARP funds to promote the island as a leisure destination, $20 million to encourage domestic tourism and $10 million to promote entertainment and conventions.
Another $30 million will be used to revitalize tourist attractions, natural resources and public beaches to "ensure our attractions and natural beauty place their best face forward," Pierliusi said.
Discover Puerto Rico will also increase spending on local tourism investment strategies through existing local promotion programs. The Discover Puerto Rico website will shortly debut a fully translated Spanish-language version, said Pierluisi, "enabling us to bring more visitors from other U.S. states and inspiring other travelers "never before in exposed to our destination."
Puerto Rico's strong post-pandemic visitor numbers indicate the destination can attract more visitors beyond the traditional winter peak travel season, the governor said.
"We already know that we can grow occupancy and the build tourism revenue throughout the year, not just during the high season," he said. "We have seen it this year. We will be expanding our presence and driving increased visitation every month of the year."
Other new travel marketing initiatives will include digital campaigns targeting the island's "first-party audience" of international visitors, who stay in Puerto Rico longer and spend more according to Discover Puerto Rico data.
Digital campaigns will showcase the island through the lens of local people using broadcast journalists and influencers, said Discover Puerto Rico officials.
The outreach will also emphasize increasing international visitation throughout Puerto Rico to "ensure local communities benefit from the positive impact of these high value international visitors," officials added.
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