DISCOVER PUERTO RICO INVITES TRAVELERS TO SHARE THEIR TOP STRESSORS FOR A LOCAL SAND ARTIST TO BRING THEM TO LIFE IN SAND ART AND HAVE THEM WASHED AWAY

During National Stress Awareness Month, with vacations being so important for overall well-being, a new consumer-generated sandcastle installation, 'Sand Hassles,' will be unveiled weekly at beaches across the Island

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With April being National Stress Awareness Month, Discover Puerto Rico, the Island's Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), has kicked off a month-long consumer-generated activation and sweepstakes titled 'Sand Hassles.' From work and traffic to finances and relationships, everyday stressors occupy mind space. 'Sand Hassles' aims to normalize talking about it, help reduce stressors with a visual exercise and remind people that travel can improve mood and reduce stress.

According to Destination Analysts and U.S. Travel Association: Close to 79 percent of Americans believe vacations are important to their overall health and well-being. More than 68 percent of American workers feel at least moderately burned out and 13 percent are extremely burned out. Booking a trip in the coming months was identified as a top-rated motivator for avoiding burnout.

"Multiple studies have shown that traveling can reduce stress," said Leah Chandler, Chief Marketing Officer of Discover Puerto Rico. "Relaxing on Puerto Rico's shores while listening to waves lap the sand, experiencing a sunrise yoga session or golf play at your resort can be an invaluable asset to overall wellness. And thankfully, Puerto Rico has no shortage of ways to relax, recharge and reconnect."

Starting today through April 27, 2022, Discover Puerto Rico is calling on travelers to unload their most common burdens and share them via Twitter, Instagram, or the DMO's website by tagging #SandHasslesSweepstakes. In return, not only do participants enter for a chance to win a trip for two including roundtrip flights to the Island, but the top-inducing stressors from that week will be crowd-sourced based on submissions and recreated in sandcastle form by local sand artist, Josué Báez of JD SandWork.

Each week, a sandcastle representing a top stressor will be constructed and washed away by the Caribbean Ocean waves at several locations throughout Puerto Rico's 300-mile-plus coastline. One of the most beautiful features of Puerto Rico's beaches is that they are open to the public, and the chosen beaches throughout the Island were selected based on their sand quality for castle construction and ocean tide patterns. The 'Sand Hassles' sandcastles will be constructed at the following locations:

• Ocean Park, Carolina
• Rio Mar, Rio Grande
• Seven Seas, Fajardo
• Boquerón, Cabo Rojo
• Condado Beach, San Juan

Research supports that connectedness to nature can lead to improvements in health and mood, and regular practice of mediation can also help the brain better manage stress and anxiety. With this in mind and to culminate National Stress Awareness Month, Discover Puerto Rico will be transporting followers to the beach by releasing calming visual content of the 'Sand Hassles' washing away every #WellnessWednesday on the DMO's social media channels. Discover Puerto Rico has also curated a landing page to provide travelers with tips and information on how to incorporate wellness into their next vacation. At the end of April, the DMO will release 'Sand Hassles' video and audio content for guided meditations, manifesting mindfulness and positive vibes that extend beyond National Stress Awareness Month.

Puerto Rico is uniquely positioned to not only reduce everyday stresses with its beautiful beaches and relaxing amenities, but also take away the stress of travel for many in the mainland U.S. with no passport, currency exchange, or international phone plan required for U.S. citizens. Puerto Rico is the perfect place to reset with unparalleled nature and beaches; wellness experiences with world-class spa retreats and farm-to-table cuisine. And no matter what side of the Island, there's always a place to dance, enjoy cocktails, and experience the legendary nightlife of Puerto Rico, from DISTRITO T-Mobile and rooftop hangouts to low-key beachside bars.

For more information about the destination, follow Discover Puerto Rico's social channels on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com. There is no purchase necessary to enter or win. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 48 U.S./D.C., age 21+. For full details and sweepstakes rules visit www.discoverpuertorico.com/sand-hassles; terms & conditions apply.

About Discover Puerto Rico:

Discover Puerto Rico is a newly established private, not-for-profit Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) whose mission is to make Puerto Rico visible to the world as a premier travel destination. The DMO brings prosperity to the people of Puerto Rico by collaboratively promoting the Island's diversity and uniqueness for leisure and business travel, and events. It is responsible for all global marketing, sales, and promotion of the destination and works collaboratively with key local governmental and non-governmental players throughout Puerto Rico's visitor economy and the community at large, to empower economic growth. To discover all the beauty the Island has to offer, visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

SOURCE Discover Puerto Rico