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/ Wednesday, November 11, 2020 El Yunque >Courtesy of Discover Puerto Rico
Discover Puerto Rico and Airbnb Launch New Website to Promote Domestic Tourism Passenger traffic at LMM Airport still well below normal
A Rosario Fajardo
rfajardo@wjournalpr.com
@RosarioWJournal
irbnb, one of the world’s largest marketplaces for places to stay and things to do, and Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization (DMO), announced the launch of a new website as a part of their strategic alliance to promote safe and sustainable tourism on the island. The website will promote local destinations that comply with safety and cleaning protocols as mandated by the local government and provide information about hosts and experiences. In addition to the website, Discover Puerto Rico will have access to valuable insights, including Airbnb search and reservation trends to help inform the DMO’s marketing strategy and overall promotion of the destination. Both the platform and the island’s tourism promotion organization are adapting to current travel trends, with many travelers planning their winter vacations and opting for nearby destinations. “Puerto Rico has implemented extensive precautionary measures since COVID-19 began, allowing us to welcome visitors with confidence. Our priority continues to be the safety of our residents and guests and their new needs compared to pre-COVID travel. Cleanliness, health
on a year-over-year basis, passenger traffic was checks, outdoor spaces, and natural attractions down by 41.5 percent in San Juan for the month of have become fundamental aspects in the decision October. process of a trip. ASUR also operates airports in Mexico and “Puerto Rico is a leading destination in these Colombia, which also reported decreases in new protocols and has one of the largest dry passenger traffic for October by 44.9 percent and forests in the world, the only rainforest in the U.S. 67.8 percent, respectively. The National Forest system, impressive company reported that overall, pink salt flats, underground the facilities that it operates caves, waterfalls, three of the has been impacted by severe five bioluminescent bays in the downturns in business and world, the longest zip line in the leisure travel stemming from the Americas and more than 300 Grupo COVID-19 pandemic. miles of breathtaking coastline Aeroportuario del among other natural settings that Sureste, the company travelers crave,” said Brad Dean, New Cleaning Protocols that manages CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. Earlier this year, Airbnb the LMM Airport, “Thanks to technology, we can introduced an overarching reported that on a identify what people are looking cleaning and sanitization year-over-year basis, for and, above all, identify travel guidelines in the home sharing passenger traffic was trends. As we have seen in other industry and evolved its down by 41.5 percent countries in the recovery process, health and safety practices to in San Juan for the tourism to nearby places will be help ensure Airbnb hosts are month of October. the new way of traveling. We are providing the best and safest pleased to be able to work hand in stays possible. hand with Discover Puerto Rico to Last month, that company promote economic development announced that hosts and through tourism safely and sustainably,” said guests must agree to follow Airbnb’s COVID-19 Carlos Muñoz, Airbnb’s Public Policy manager for Safety Practices, which include wearing masks, Central America and the Caribbean. practicing social distancing, and, for hosts and their The continuing need to promote domestic teams, abiding by a five-step enhanced cleaning tourism was underscored by the latest report on process. passenger movement at the Luis Muñoz Marín According to internal Airbnb guest review data, (LMM) International Airport that serves San Juan. 95 percent of all Airbnb reviews show that guests Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR), the are satisfied with cleaning, scoring it at four or five company that manages the airport, reported that stars (out of five stars) after their stays.
In fact,
