Puerto Rico Embraces Digital Marketing to Boost Tourism

The My Puerto Rico mobile app aims to enhance the visitor experience

To regain footing after Hurricane Maria, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, a public corporation that oversees the island’s tourism industry, has taken a digital focus to attract visitors by introducing My Puerto Rico, an app for travelers to use throughout their stay.

The app was built in collaboration with ALICE, a hospitality platform developer that has made smartwatch-based systems for resort operations. Hotels and resorts throughout the island are on the app and can be contacted directly through it. In addition, My Puerto Rico provides ideas for things to do, places to eat, and how to get around.

The app “was developed focusing on improving the visitor experience in our destination, as part of the efforts to strengthen our tourism offer,” said Ricardo Rosselló Nevares, governor of Puerto Rico, in a statement. “In order to compete globally, we need to reinvent ourselves and adapt to the needs of a modern traveler, who carries out all his efforts from the mobile phone.”

The app enables each property on the island to employ ALICE’s concierge software, as well as use SMS service to communicate with guests. Puerto Rico is also revamping its tourism website, DiscoverPuertoRico.com, to enhance the traveler’s digital experience even further. “We are planning to implement personalized content strategies so we can meet consumers with the right information they want to receive at the right time while on our website,” says Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. Between the app and the website, Dean is optimistic that Puerto Rico will cultivate interest among travelers. “By creating unique and custom engagements with consumers on our digital channels, we create brand loyalty,” Dean says, “turning travelers into brand ambassadors.”

Image credit: iStockphoto