Puerto Rico Has Possibilities

Driving down the highway from the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) toward one of the islands, many resort attendees will get the distinct feeling that they aren't in the United States anymore. But they won't be quite sure they are entirely out of it, either. The more time attendees spend in Puerto Rico, the more they will begin to realize that for all of its similarities - and ties to the U.S. - this possible 51st state is still very much a destination all its own, with a culture and history you can't find anywhere else. In Puerto Rico, meeting attendees will feel both at home and truly transported - all at once.

"Since the 1500s, Puerto Rico has been a major meeting place in the Caribbean," explains Neil Mullanaphy, acting president, CEO, and senior vice president of sales for the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau (PRCB). "Culturally, this is very significant. North Americans, South Americans, and Europeans all felt comfortable in one central location right in the heart of the Caribbean, and that really sets us apart."

Teri Knebel, director of sales and marketing for Wichita, KS-based Incentive Management, says she was thoroughly impressed with what she found in Puerto Rico, especially with its attractions, both natural and manmade. "With strong air connections, the ability to remain within the U.S., a new highway for quicker access to resorts, first-class tour and transfer operators, a colonial city with forts, and hopping nightlife, you have a destination for successful meetings," she says.

"Smooth" Meetings
The PRCB prides itself on delivering "smooth meetings." Logistically speaking, holding a meeting in Puerto Rico is very easy, especially for U.S.-based organizations. "No passports are needed," says Mullanaphy. "There is no customs or immigration; they're on home soil." The destination is also accustomed to hosting meetings and conferences on a global scale. Last October, the capital city of San Juan was the site of the 51st International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress. San Juan is also the home of the largest convention center facility in the Caribbean, the Puerto Rico Convention Center. In total, the island offers more than 1.3 million square feet of meeting space and more than 14,000 guest rooms.

Air accessibility is also abundant. Eight different airlines offer 61 daily nonstop flights to San Juan from 21 U.S. cities. JetBlue, which took over the new Terminal A at SJU last May, has 40 daily departures from the airport and serves many major U.S. cities.

Hotel Development Continues
Hotel development in Puerto Rico is also varied, and is increasingly becoming more sophisticated and upscale. Last December, Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, opened on the former site of the Dorado Beach Hyatt Hotel. One of only two Reserve properties in the world, it sits along three miles of coastline where Laurance Rockefeller built his dream resort. The intimate 100-room, 14-suite hotel has a full-service spa, a restaurant from famed chef Jose Andres, three championship golf courses, and plenty of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including Su Casa, a 6,000-square-foot villa for private events.

In October 2012, the historic Condado Vanderbilt reopened after a $270-million renovation and expansion project that was 20 years in the making. The Spanish Revival-style hotel, which was originally built in 1919 by Frederick William Vanderbilt, is where Errol Flynn, Bob Hope, and President Franklin Roosevelt previously stayed. It has 15,000 square feet of meeting space and 323 guest rooms and suites.

Also in San Juan, four Hilton properties - the Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza, El San Juan Resort & Casino, Caribe Hilton San Juan, and the Condado Lagoon Villas at Caribe Hilton - are offering a special "Puerto Rico Plus" package through Dec. 31. It includes a 5 percent master rebate, a Triple Meeting Planner Bonus in HHonors Points, and a one-hour authentically Puerto Rican welcome reception.

East of San Juan, a number of beachside resorts also cater to meetings groups. El Conquistador Resort offers more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space and access to its very own private island, Palomino Island. The 100-acre island, which is easily accessed via catamaran, is a perfect venue for final-night dinners and beach parties.

The Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico features a total of 36,918 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, as well as 486 oversize junior suites, including 96 RedLevel suites and six RedLevel Oceanfront Garden Villas with added services and amenities. "The Gran Melia is a lovely tropical setting," says Knebel.

The Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa has 48,00 square feet of meeting space, an on-site 7,000-square-foot casino, and 600 rooms and suites.