Puerto Rico Expands Its Reach Across Canada, the U.S., and Latin America
One month, several markets, and new opportunities to showcase Puerto Rico. Throughout August, the Discover Puerto Rico team connected with meetings and travel professionals in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, welcomed Colombian travel agencies and wholesalers to the Island, and engaged directly with local tour operators.
In Toronto, the Canadian Meetings + Events Expo 2026 brought together 4,912 industry professionals, including a significant number of first-time attendees. Puerto Rico's participation provided an opportunity to connect with Canada's meetings and incentives community and generate more than 100 contacts through a coffee activation.
From Canada, the team headed to Indianapolis for the ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo 2026, joined by eight local industry partners. There, Puerto Rico's coffee activation reached more than 500 attendees and generated five qualified leads, along with additional contacts for follow-up. Puerto Rico's booth also earned second place in Best of Show for its design, while the destination received onstage recognition for its strategic partnership.
August also brought recognition for the team. At the Smart Woman Summit & Awards Gala in Las Vegas, Mikki Walls received the Smart Women in Meetings Industry Leader Award. Among her accomplishments during the past fiscal year was securing 11,000 room nights from a single group.
The team's efforts in Latin America continued at IBTM Americas 2026 in Mexico City, the largest MICE trade show in the Americas, with 4,000 attendees. Over two days of one-on-one appointments, the team connected primarily with clients from Latin America, registered 190 contacts, and identified 17 potential leads.
Colombia was also part of these efforts—this time from Puerto Rico. As part of ProColombia's Roadshow Colombia Caribe 2026, representatives from Colombian wholesalers and travel agencies visited Discover Puerto Rico's offices. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase the destination and connect directly with professionals from companies such as Panamericana de Viajes, Green Travel, Gema Tours, Viajes Uniglobe, Style Travel, and others involved in planning and selling travel.
The Conversation Continues with the Local Industry
While Puerto Rico is being showcased to professionals in other markets, engaging with businesses here on the Island remains an important part of the work.
On August 6, Discover Puerto Rico participated in FareHarbor's Puerto Rico Meet-Up at Vivo Beach Club, where more than 60 businesses came together to connect, ask questions, and learn about resources and opportunities available to tour operators.
Discover Puerto Rico participated in the panel, and after the session, nine tour operators approached the team for guidance on improving their visibility on DiscoverPuertoRico.com. Three were not yet represented on the platform and received guidance on the next steps to join the partner network. Operators who were already partners received recommendations on optimizing their profiles to better showcase their businesses and experiences to potential visitors.
From showcasing Puerto Rico to new clients in key markets to working directly with the businesses that welcome visitors on the Island, August created multiple points of connection between the destination, its markets, and the local tourism industry. Each interaction opens the door to new relationships, greater visibility, and opportunities that can benefit the businesses shaping Puerto Rico's visitor experience.