Five Things for Travel Advisors to Love About Puerto Rico
With its distinctive cuisine, vibrant Afro-Caribbean art and music scene, and unusual land- and sea-scapes, Puerto Rico combines the exhilaration of traveling abroad with the ease and
comforts of home. It feels so exotic that it can come as a surprise to learn that as a U.S.
territory, Puerto Rico is a domestic destination, so there’s no passport needed for U.S. citizens
and permanent residents, American travelers do not need to opt for international plans to
make calls since their phones will work perfectly on the Island, the U.S. dollar is the
currency, and both English and Spanish are the official languages. And with over 120 daily
nonstop flights from major cities throughout the United States, it’s easy to get here.
Just 100 miles long and 35 miles across, Puerto Rico also amazes first-time visitors with the
diversity of experiences it offers, thanks in part, to its unique geography. Here, visitors can
kayak through three of the world’s five bioluminescent bays, snorkel amid coral reefs,
experience the longest zip line in the Americas, go spelunking through a river-carved cave
system, and swim in natural waterfall-fed pools in tropical rainforests. With its toes in both
the Atlantic and the Caribbean, the island has more than 300 dreamy beaches.
Plus, there are naturally-heated thermal waters to soak in, historic Colonial cities to discover,
and a central mountain range with peaks up to 4,000 feet to explore. And where else can you
go glamping in an air-conditioned, clear bubble tent and then luxuriate at a five-star resort
with a renowned chef and its own nature reserve? And that’s just for starters. Read on for
five compelling reasons for travel advisors to love Puerto Rico.
1: Puerto Rico’s unique history and high-spirited, hospitable culture.
Puerto Ricans often refer to themselves as Boricua, a word derived from the indigenous
Taino name for the island. Boricua is a proud term that also describes their food, music and
art. Boricua also has its roots in the Spanish conquistadors who made the island a key port,
and the enslaved Africans they brought to work their sugarcane fields. The result is today’s
inclusive and welcoming culture, where same-sex marriage is legal and people often greet
each other—and strangers— by wishing them a buen dia (good day), and at street parties,
festivals and clubs, everyone is invited to join in and move to the beat.
Dig into the past. The Taino legacy lives on in the DNA of the people, in words like hamaca
(hammock) and huracán (hurricane) and in island place names. Their rock carvings and
ceremonial sites are being unearthed around the island. One of the most extensive, the
Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Site in the mountain town of Utuado, has 10 plazas, stone
monoliths, petroglyphs and a small museum.
Discover Old San Juan. The Spanish influence is palpable in the 500-year-old walled city of
Old San Juan. Here, brightly painted buildings with hidden courtyards line narrow
cobblestoned streets that open onto inviting shady squares. It’s fun to stroll the streets,
dipping in and out of art galleries, boutiques, cafes and restaurants, and touring historic
homes and museums that tell the story of Ponce de León and other powerful figures. Not to
be missed is Castillo San Felipe del Morro to hear tales of famous battles and climb the walls
for sweeping views.
Savor the Art of Santurce. The once-abandoned buildings of this thriving San Juan arts
district are now adorned with some of the best street murals in the world. You’ll also find
Puerto Rican and contemporary art museums and the top venue for concerts and cultural
events including the classical music Pablo Casals Festival. Santurce is also a nightlife center—
especially around La Placita, a marketplace by day that turns into a nonstop party scene at
night.
Feel the African roots of Loíza. Settled in the 16th century by Yoruba people brought from
Africa as slaves, Loíza still has the island’s largest Black population. For a sense of African
contributions to art, food, music, and dance, visit the studio of acclaimed artist Samuel Lind,
to see his Afro-Puerto Rican-inspired art, and the Batey De Los Hermanos Ayala, a folkloric
center where visitors can see vegigante (folkloric masks) and learn the sounds and
movements of Puerto Rico’s homegrown bomba and plena music.
2: Puerto Rico’s distinctive cuisine and beverages
In Puerto Rico, it’s said that "el amor entra por la cocina" (love comes through the kitchen).
Puerto Rico even has a word—chinchorreo—for hopping from one kiosk or eatery to the
next to enjoy each cook’s version of traditional criollo dishes such as mofongo (mashed
plantains). arroz mamposteao (rice with stewed beans) and lechón (whole roasted pig). Not
far from San Juan, Piñones, in Loíza, and the Luquillo kiosks, are two favorite spots to sample
a variety of fritters and other iconic foods. Organized culinary tours often combine stops at
several restaurants with a cooking class.
Relish nature’s bounty. Fresh local ingredients define Puerto Rico’s cuisine, whether it is
lovingly prepared “abuelita” (grandma) recipes or sophisticated farm-to-table presentations.
The island has its share of James Beard Foundation-nominated chefs and recognized
restaurants including Chef Natalia Vallejo, who made history as the first Puerto Rican
woman nominee and the first Puerto Rican chef to claim the esteemed title of Best Chef
South in 2023.
Sample at the source. The island’s creativity extends to its beverages. The piña colada was
invented here and the cocktail scene continues to delight. Thanks to its high quality, Puerto
Rican rum accounts for 70% of the rum consumed in the U.S. Several distilleries offer tours,
tastings, mixology classes and food pairings in lovely settings and there’s a Puerto Rican Rum
Journey App that can be used to book tours and review and rate the rums you try. Tours and
tastings are also available at several coffee and chocolate haciendas.
Follow the taste trail. Gastronomic routes highlight several local specialties. The most famous
is the “Pork Highway” in Guavate, a mountainous area about 40 minutes from San Juan.
Here, every weekend feels like a party at the dozens of lechoneras, open-air restaurants that
specialize in slow-roasting whole pigs. Many are open during the week as well.
“La Ruta de la Longaniza” features a flavorful sausage made from pork and/or chicken served
by a string of restaurants in the mountains around Orocovis, and makes a great combination
with a visit to the Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park.
Seafood lovers will love the Ruta del Mojo Isleño in Salinas, about an hour from San Juan,
where the draw is seafood served in a sauce of slow-cooked tomatoes, onions, bell peppers,
garlic, and olives.
3: The Awesome Nature of Puerto Rico
Thanks to its central mountain range and both Atlantic and Caribbean coasts, Puerto Rico is
blessed with a diversity of eco-systems. A great way to experience the island’s natural bounty
is at its 35 nature reserves.
Discover endemic birds and natural water slides. El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in
the U.S. National Forest System. Puerto Rican Parrots and Spindalis are just two of the many
unusual bird species that inhabit this 28,000-acre reserve. With a guide or on their own,
visitors can hike to glorious waterfalls, splash down natural rock slides and swim and sun
around inviting pools. The reserve is home to 50 different species of native orchids, 150 types
of ferns and indigenous fauna such as the tiny coqui tree frog. A free app provides maps,
photo field guides of plants and animals, updates on closures and interactive junior ranger
and master explorer games.
Spot rare birds. The 9,000-acre Guánica Dry Forest, a United Nations International Biosphere
Reserve, is home to more than 130 birds species. Birdwatchers also praise the limestone cliffs
and salt flats around the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge and small mangrove islets that
shelter flocks of shore bird.
Dip into bioluminescent waters. Puerto Rico has three (out of five in the world!)
bioluminescent bays where single-celled organisms create glowing streams of light when the
water around them is disturbed. The closest to San Juan Is in Fajardo. Across the island, La
Parguera Bay is the only spot where visitors can swim, snorkel or ride in a motorized boat in
these unique waters. The most remote, and reputedly the brightest of these settings in the
world, Mosquito Bay is on the offshore island of Vieques.
Thrill to the longest zip line in the Americas. At 1.5 miles long, “The Monster” at Toro Verde
Adventure Park is the second longest zip line in the world and the longest in this
hemisphere. Thrill-seekers strap into a full-body harness to race downhill face-first at speeds
of up to 95 miles per hour. Other adventures include a set of eight ziplines that get
progressively longer, and Toro Bikes, the world’s longest cable bike circuit.
Go caving in Río Camuy Cave Park. Explorers don hard hats with mounted lights for a
guided walk through the vast underground cave system carved by Río Camuy, the third
largest underground river in the world. About 80 minutes from San Juan, the site delights
visitors with impressive stalactites and stalagmites.
And more. Eco-tourism companies also offer more rigorous adventures around the island
including cave tubing, rappelling, hiking, and rock-climbing as well as scuba diving,
snorkeling and fishing expeditions. Punta Borinquen in Aguadilla and Rincón are a surfing
center. And for an indulgent detox, Coamo Hot Springs has two mineral-rich thermal pools,
both naturally heated by the remnants of a dormant volcano.
4: So Many Ways to Stay
Sumptuous resorts, vacation rentals, artsy boutique hotels, intimate inns, and glamping eco-hideaways… with so many quality options, it’s no wonder that Puerto Rico is a top choice for
trips of all sorts, from destination weddings, family and romantic getaways to meetings,
conventions and incentive trips.
Escape to a private villa: Imagine staying in an elegant villa with a private infinity pool
perched on a hilltop overlooking the Caribbean, or a bachelorette party in an eight-bedroom
house with a pool just steps from the beach. Or choose a mountain cottage or in-town condo.
No wonder the vacation rental segment is taking off across Puerto Rico.
Sleep with history. The past is very much alive at a bevy of renovated historic hotels. The
most famous, Hotel El Convento, is a former Carmelite convent in the heart of Old San Juan,
commissioned in 1651 and occupied by nuns until 1903. Also in Old San Juan is The Galley
Inn, once home to a Spanish captain and restored by a local artist.
Historic accommodations are also sprinkled around the island. A great example is the Spanish
hacienda-style Parador Guánica 1929, built for visiting sugar company executives and
investors and now a family-friendly inn a short drive from Guánica Dry Forest and La
Parguera bioluminescent bay.
Enjoy the Royal Treatment. Luxury reaches new heights at Puerto Rico’s elegant five-star
resorts, which compete with each other to offer the most indulgent spas, gourmet dining and
services. Among the San Juan standouts are the historic Condado Vanderbilt, with the beach
for its backyard—complete with beach butler service—and the city at its front door; and the
Fairmont El San Juan Hotel on Isla Verde beach, sprawling along two miles of Caribbean
coast with 16 restaurants, a nightclub and a casino.
Outside San Juan, nature takes center stage at resorts like Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton
Reserve. This AAA Five-Diamond hotel developed by Laurance Rockefeller is set on a 1,400-
acre nature reserve and includes three Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed golf courses.
Similarly, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, built on a 483-acre former coconut plantation,
offers naturalist-guided tours of its two private bird sanctuaries.
Go local. A stay at one of the island’s small family-owned small inns or paradores is a great
way to be immersed in Boricua culture. Among the most acclaimed is Combate Beach Resort
in Cabo Rojo, near Guánica’s Dry Forest and the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge.
Try glamping. Camping out doesn’t mean giving up creature comforts like a private
bathroom at spots like the Ptahaya Glamping Retreat, near the Cabo Rojo nature reserve, or
the Yuquiyú Treehouses, at the foot of El Yunque National Forest. The most unusual
glamping may be at Vieques El Nido, where PVC, air-cooled, bubble tents provide a comfy
vantage point for stargazing.
5: A Commitment to Travel Advisors
“We love travel advisors, and we are willing to show it!” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover
Puerto Rico. Among its most valuable offerings is the Puerto Rico Travel Expert (PRTE)
training, which provides ongoing and comprehensive travel advisor training and support
along with a loyalty and rewards program, and in-depth planning support.
Get certified, earn rewards. “The course is designed to provide the kind of information travel
advisors need to sell Puerto Rico with confidence,” Dean noted. Graduates of the core
“General Course” receive certification as a Puerto Rico Travel Expert (PRTE). The course
covers the island’s key selling points and provides the product information needed to match
clients with their ideal accommodations and activities. Graduates also gain access to a points-based loyalty program, with rewards from gift cards to FAM trips.
Go for a niche masters. A “Master Course” offers separate certification with training in
specific niche interests, including golf, scuba diving, outdoor adventure, weddings and
authentic, immersive experiences such as visits to charming paradors and small inns steeped
in local charm. Members of the Travel Institute Travel also earn Continuing Education Units
(CEUs) upon completion of both the General and Master’s Course.
Get on-going support. Discover Puerto Rico also provides access to in-depth fact sheets, plus
selling points and illustrative itineraries, all logically organized so travel advisors can quickly
find the specific information they are looking for. Thirteen sample 4- to 7-day itineraries
include day-by-day suggestions for first time visitors, culinary adventures, luxury, coffee
immersion, history and culture, luxury, underwater and slow travel and separate itineraries
for families with young kids, tweens or teens, and the whole family.
Plan a group trip. Discover Puerto Rico’s knowledgeable, supportive group department is
eager to provide personalized assistance to travel advisors planning all types of group travel,
including wellness retreats, luxury- and adventure-focused incentive trips, student groups
and family and friend reunions.
Tap into incentives. In addition, for a limited time, the following hotels are offering travel
consultants 12-15% commission for booking a minimum four-night stay within defined
booking and travel dates. For full details and to confirm the commission offer is available for
your clients’ dates, please contact the properties directly via the emails here:
• Combate Beach Resort - Contact: [email protected]
• Fairmont El San Juan - Contact: [email protected]
• Four Points by Sheraton Caguas Real Hotel & Casino – Contact: [email protected]
• O:live Boutique Hotel - Contact: [email protected]
• O:LV Fifty Five - Contact: [email protected]
• Parguera Plaza Hotel - Contact: [email protected]
• Royal Sonesta San Juan - Contact: [email protected]
• TRYP By Wyndham Isla Verde - Contact: [email protected]
• Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Rainforest, Beach & Golf Resort –
Contact: [email protected]
• Wyndham Palmas Beach & Golf
Resort Contact: [email protected]
Learn and sell. Start with dreamy beaches, unique natural attractions, and distinctive
gastronomy, music and art. Add in the fact that no passport or currency exchange is required
for U.S. citizens. Combine it with Puerto Rico’s excellent infrastructure and welcoming
culture and you have the recipe for satisfied clients!
For in-depth information about all that Puerto Rico has to offer and to become a certified
Puerto Rico Travel Expert, visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com and https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/travel-professionals
Sponsored by Discover Puerto Rico