Puerto Rico Voted Top Caribbean Island In USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award Contest

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Puerto Rico Tourism Company today announced the island has been selected as the number one Caribbean Island in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award Contest. Puerto Rico tops the list of destinations, which also included Curacao, Dominica and Barbados.

"We are delighted to receive this honor and invite travelers to explore and experience all that Puerto Rico offers for themselves," said Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. "We look forward to continuing to be a premier Caribbean destination for all travelers no matter what budget – whether they are simply looking for a place to relax and unwind, to the more adventurous who want to trek through rainforests and scuba in coral reefs."

Just one visit to Puerto Rico reveals why it was the top selection in the 10Best Contest. The island delivers a unique mix of Spanish, Taino Indian, and African influences, with a tropical atmosphere of beaches, rainforests and oceans. Whether you're exploring the cultural beauty of Old San Juan, hiking in the stunning  El Yunque National Forest – the only rainforest in the U.S. Forest Service, snorkeling in the submarine kingdom of coral reefs, or shopping in the designer boutiques of Condado, Puerto Rico has something for everyone. And with no passport required for U.S. citizens and direct flights available from more than 15 major continental U.S. airports, getting to Puerto Rico is now easier than ever.

Nominees for the 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award Contest are chosen by a panel of experts which include a combination of editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, expert contributors and sources for both these media and other Gannett publications. All votes are collected through the 10Best.com website. 

"USA TODAY is thrilled to share what 10Best and USA TODAY readers and users love most," said John Peters, president of USA TODAY Travel Media Group. "Our readers are well-informed, well-travelled and opinionated. At the end of the day, the content on our platforms is a reflection of them. A destination, organization or business which finds itself the recipient of a 10Best Readers' Choice Award has really accomplished something." 

About 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 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.

About 10Best.com
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. The core of the site's uniqueness is its team of local travel experts: a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about so the content is constantly updated. In 2012, 10Best.com averaged more than 700,000 monthly unique visitors generating approximately 28 million page views.  It was acquired by USA TODAY in January of 2013.  

About USA TODAY
USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation.  Through its unique visual storytelling, USA TODAY delivers high-quality and engaging content across print, digital, social and video platforms.  An innovator of news and information, USA TODAY reflects the pulse of the nation and serves as the host of the American conversation – today, tomorrow and for decades to follow. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of more than 1.6 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 6.6 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 16 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

Contact:
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SOURCE The Puerto Rico Tourism Company