Lisa Altieri Director of the Tourism Company for Puerto Rico in Europe

"We would like to know where do you come from, which were your previous positions in the management and which are the future project that the Tourism Office will have for Europe?" I have been over 20 years working in the tourism industry, I was working in several hotels in Puerto Rico, I came to Spain 11 years ago and I joined the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico as a sales manager of conventions and incentives department. Then I was the directort of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, that opened some offices here in Spain. Now I’m the director for the tourism company of Puerto Rico. "Which is the new expansion and communication policy that Puerto Rico will have with Europe?" "Obviously for the proximity the US market is always going to be more important for us, but we will continue promoting Puerto Rican tourism in Europe. "One of the things that concerns Spanish-speaking people is the fact that all tourism signals in part of the country were in English, will you continue with the bilingual practice or signals will be only in English?" "We will continue being bilingual and keep the signals we have in both English and Spanish. Our two languages are Spanish and English. Only 33% of Puerto Rican speak and write perfect English, in fact it is Spanish what is spoken in Puerto Rico. "Within the investment to be made in Puerto Rico as a tourism company in Europe, which are the countries with more economic investments?" "I believe that the largest effort is going to be made by Spain for the bonds that link us, obviously the language, the culture, etc." "Which position holds the Germans in the Puerto Rican market?" "If we look at the statistics, Spain is the first, Germany and England the second and then France and Italy." "With the change of policy established by the governor and the new minister, in which way this policy is going to vary the promotion of the Tourism?" "One of the changes to be made in the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico are advertisements, but we will continue making the same efforts." "The airlines topic was one of the handicaps we had to fly to Puerto Rico. Is there any agreement with an airline to fly to Puerto Rico?" "At present we have a department in Puerto Rico, Open Sky, where other airlines are being evaluating to have more flight access all over Europe to Puerto Rico". "Which Spanish tour operators are going to sell more Puerto Rico destination?" "We are going to work with many Spanish tour operators, we have a list and with each one of them we are going to make collaboration efforts. "Puerto Rico is a country that receives a large number of tourists through cruisers. Is there any action being foreseen so that Spaniards can enjoy cruising there?" "Nowadays there are several cruise companies working jointly with us." "What do you think of Puerto Rico as a multidestination?" "We are promoting Puerto Rico as a destination and from here, they may connect with other destinations." "The island is going to offer a wider tourism view than what San Juan is or Ponce as natural beauty?" "We are working in the whole island, in the interior, since Puerto Rico is not only San Juan." "In figures, in which position Puerto Rico is within Congress and Incentive Tourism in the Caribbean?" "Puerto Rico is not a new destination that has just emerged. We have been over 30 year doing incentive tourism, congresses and conventions." "Which Spanish hotel chains are investing in Puerto Rico at present?" "Sol Meliá is going to largely help us in Puerto Rico. But at present we have other hotel chains that are going to trust Puerto Rico as an important destination."