From the Publisher’s desk.

‘What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.’ This tagline for a tourist destination is among one of the most well-known in the world, which is quite fitting for a place that attracts around 40 million visitors every year. As a former resident of Las Vegas and a current resident of Puerto Rico, I believe Las Vegas’ tourism success story is one that Puerto Rico (and many other places) can learn from. And, as the Puerto Rico Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) is well on their way to developing strategies for the promotion of the island, they should keep the spirit of these success stories in mind.

In 2003, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority launched its ‘What Happens in Vegas’ marketing campaign, one of the most successful of its kind. Not only did it create a memorable, catchy tagline, it also attracted a variety of visitors that helped rebrand Vegas as more than just a gambling hub and helped shed the ‘family-like’ persona. Similarly, Puerto Rico could greatly benefit from a destination marketing campaign of this kind because although Las Vegas and Puerto Rico are rather different in nature, they both have a lot to offer their visitors.

Any global marketing campaign needs good market research. What are the needs and preferences of frequent travelers? What do they look for when choosing a place to visit? When I’m planning a trip, I typically look for destinations with ease of arrival and departure, great food and entertainment, and historical or novel places. Puerto Rico has all of these features and more; the challenge is marketing and promoting them appropriately. This is why it’s crucial to understand the market, and more specifically, the feeder markets like Miami, Orlando, and New York.

Another important piece of a destination marketing campaign is a strong call to action or tagline. This method is proven across many industries, including tourism. I’m sure you’re familiar with ‘Just do it,’ ‘I’m lovin’ it,’ and ‘Taste the Rainbow.’ All three of these taglines are both memorable and unique. A good tagline can spark interest, create awareness, and keep the destination top of mind. While the DMO is using #CoverTheProgress in their latest initiative, having one that endures is critical.

Puerto Rico’s natural beauty, culture, and history should be an easy sell. You can go from beaches to mountains in minutes. Your stay can be resort-style, completely urban, or even completely rural and be equally as enjoyable. You can spend your day ziplining or spend it in the old city exploring the vast history. You can tour a rum factory, get salsa lessons, or visit a coffee plantation; you can even do it all in one day. And, as if that wasn’t enough, Puerto Rico’s warm weather year-round and status as a U.S. territory makes it the perfect vacation spot for Americans on the mainland. It’s no secret for those of us living on La Isla del Encanto that this island has something to offer for everyone, but the important thing is getting tourists around the world to see the same exquisiteness and potential we see every day.

For now, we are all counting on the DMO and their promise of a complete strategy by 2019. Although it takes time to create an entire marketing plan, and the hurricane caused plenty of delays, we haven’t seen much from the Organization thus far other than meeting with select stakeholders and the hiring of state-side sales representatives in key markets. As busy season begins, it’s time for some urgency and to kick it into high gear. Puerto Rico needs tourism now more than ever, and we are all hoping the DMO hits a home run.

*Mark E. Curry is a leading entrepreneur, philanthropist and impact investor. Curry founded SOL Partners in Puerto Rico in 2012, and in January 2017 completed acquisition of NotiCel. As Chair of the Mark E. Curry Family Foundation, he invests in critical community charitable organizations.