Following Spring Break Travel Spike, Puerto Rico Welcomes Thousands of MLB Fans to the Island, Showcasing its Strength as a Sports Tourism Destination

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, April 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) announced today that just two weeks following record-breaking occupancy numbers over the Easter and Passover holidays, the Island is hosting thousands of MLB fans for a two-game series between the Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins today and tomorrow. With over 135 hotels, 4,000 restaurants, 13 golf courses, 16 casinos and over 165 tourist attractions open, in addition to the Island's capacity for hosting large-scale events, Puerto Rico continues to show the world that the Island is open for tourism and ready to welcome visitors with open arms.

Considering the last regular-season MLB game outside of North America took place in 2014, and Puerto Rico last hosted an MLB game in 2010, the Island is buzzing – especially since there are Puerto Rican players on each team roster. For players like Lindor, Rosario, Berrios and Perez, it's both exciting and emotional to be back in Puerto Rico and play in front of their families, friends and thousands of cheering fans at these sold-out games. With Spring Break in full force and baseball fans flooding the Island this week, April will be a strong month for Puerto Rico's tourism.

In fact, sports tourism to Puerto Rico is rapidly growing across the board, thanks to the Island's state-of-the-art recreational facilities and wide range of accommodations. Puerto Rico hosted big-ticket events such as the Divas Half Marathon and 5K and IRONMAN 70.3 earlier this year, is hosting MLB on the Island this week, and is preparing to host two more years of the PGA TOUR's Puerto Rico Open in 2019 and 2020. In addition to its year-round warmth and the fact that U.S. citizens don't need a passport to travel to the Island, Puerto Rico is a convenient and appealing destination for international organizations looking to host events.

"Hosting the Major League Baseball organization, its executives and players for two series games is important for Puerto Rico. We thank the MLB organization for their continued commitment to host this highly regarded event on our Island that is bringing thousands of fans to our historic ballpark where many MLB players of Puerto Rican descent started their very own professional sports careers," said Governor Ricardo Rosselló Nevares.

"Our strong tradition in sports, especially baseball, with renowned athletes that hail from Puerto Rico, coupled with the facilities across the Island to host large-scale sporting events, makes Puerto Rico the premier destination in the Caribbean for sports tourism," said Carla Campos, Acting Executive Director of the PRTC. "With each milestone, such as hosting the MLB Puerto Rico Series this week, we continue to remind travelers that Puerto Rico is ready to host them and that one of the best ways to support Puerto Rico is by visiting."

With summer around the corner, U.S. travelers can get great deals to Puerto Rico right now. Puerto Rico's new video series featuring Luis Fonsi, award-winning singer of the hit song "Despacito," encourages travelers to visit the Island by reminding them that Puerto Rico is "Ready to Enchant You" and debunking misconceptions of the Island's readiness to welcome visitors. To learn more about upcoming events on the Island or book your trip to Puerto Rico today, visit www.SeePuertoRico.com and follow us on Facebook via https://www.facebook.com/SeePuertoRico/ and on Instagram and Twitter via @SeePuertoRico. 

About the Puerto Rico Tourism Company
The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC), founded in 1970, is a public corporation responsible for stimulating, promoting and regulating the development of the tourism industry. It markets Puerto Rico as a tourism destination through advertising, public relations and promotional activities; promotes tourism among visitors and local residents; provides visitor orientation and technical assistance to investors; evaluates tourism facilities and establishes standards of quality; and regulates and oversees gaming operations. PRTC has offices and representatives in the U.S. mainland, Canada, Europe and Latin America.

SOURCE Puerto Rico Tourism Company

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http://www.SeePuertoRico.com