From Caribbean Business

SAN JUAN – Brad Dean, the chief executive officer of Puerto Rico’s newly established nonprofit destination marketing organization (DMO)–which began operations July 1–announced that the tourism entity’s official name is Discover Puerto Rico.

Dean made the announcement official Friday in California, during Destination Marketing Association International’s annual convention, which gathered more than 1,600 destination marketing professionals from around the world in Anaheim.

During his presentation, Dean, who was hired in March after leading Myrtle Beach, SC’s tourism agency, shared his vision for the reconstruction of the island, its “rebirth” and rebranding. He stressed that Puerto Rico’s “inspiring” return, “of epic proportions,” is already underway.

“We believe Discover Puerto Rico is a vehicle of progress for the Island and its people, and one that will ensure that the greatest days of Puerto Rico lie before us, and not behind us.  Today’s DMO’s are more than sales and marketing agencies. They are campuses of collaboration that bring about progress and nurture a sense of community. Discover Puerto Rico is poised to share one of the all-time great stories in the travel industry’s history,” Dean said in a press release Monday.

The new tourism CEO played a video for the audience, which comprised members of convention bureaus from around the world. The destination’s promotional video includes Puerto Rico residents inviting viewers to the island, as well as tourism leaders pointing out its virtues.

“Today, Puerto Rico is ready, willing and eager to welcome visitors back to the island,” Dean added.

The island DMO’s objective is to promote Puerto Rico abroad as a premier destination for business and leisure travelers. Among its “immediate” key priorities are “growing the meetings and convention business, transitioning away from dual brand identities to a single brand,” and marketing Puerto Rico to global markets that work in partnership with Destinations International, Brand USA and the U.S. Travel Association.

The new DMO’s leadership has been carefully selected. The team consists of Ed Carey, chief sales officer; Leah Chandler, chief marketing officer; and Alma Pedrosa, chief financial officer.

In the release, Discover Puerto Rico assured it has “recruited exceptional talent, primarily from Puerto Rico, including several marketing professionals who left the Island following the storm and have returned.”

The DMO added that it will help bring “prosperity to the people of Puerto Rico” by effectively turning the spotlight on the island’s “diversity and uniqueness.” The organization is responsible for all of the island’s global marketing, sales and promotion, as it works separately but in collaboration with the local government and non-governmental entities.

IMAGE: From left, Gov. Rosselló, Puerto Rico DMO Chairman Jon Borschow and Brad Dean (Courtesy photo)

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