Skift Take
The Puerto Rico Convention Bureau is actively selling for 2018 meetings and conventions despite the fallout from Hurricane Maria, but with the rebuilding efforts, the island should reposition itself more as a hub of industry innovation rather than just a U.S. tropical paradise.
It's been just a few weeks since Hurricane Maria, following in the wake of Hurricane Irma, hit Puerto Rico. Many of the major branded hotels in the capital city of San Juan are not taking reservations due to damage caused by the hurricane in September, although they are expecting to return to full operation at different times throughout the remainder of the year.
Here is a list of hotel closures and expected re-openings, updated as of Monday.
However, the large properties located in and around the capital are presently booking meeting and convention business for 2018.
Milton Segarra, president and CEO of Meet Puerto Rico, the island's convention bureau, said his organization's priority since the storm has focused mainly on collecting and sharing accurate information about how the island is recovering in the short term. Looking further ahead into 2018, the bureau is developing a long-term marketing and operations strategy capitalizing on Puerto Rico's leading status as an economic driver and meetings industry hub in the Caribbean to engage meeting planners worldwide.
All of the news highlighting the lack of electricity, fuel, and drinking water in areas of the countryside outside San Juan are distracting from the short-term message that the island is being rebuilt and meeting planners should keep it in mind for 2018, according to Segarra. The hubris surrounding President Trump's uneven handling of the federal government's response to Hurricane Maria isn't helping matters, either.
Skift spoke with Segarra at the IMEX America meetings industry trade show last week in Las Vegas for added insight on the present situation and future strategy.
Skift: How has the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau prioritized its operations since Hurricane Maria passed through?
Milton Segarra: The most important thing right now for the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau is that we are a source for trusted, fact-based, honest, and transparent information to inform our clients and meeting planners about what's going on in Puerto Rico. T
