Caribbean waters? For shame. Tropical breezes? The CEO won’t have it. Exciting culture and (gasp) nightlife? Move on…or not.
Once again, Puerto Rico is flexing its meetings muscle, demonstrating that even though the Island is ‘cursed’ by natural beauty, an appealing climate and a wide range of visitor attractions and amenities, Puerto Rico also makes great business sense as a meetings destination.
With the newly launched ‘Not A Boondoggle.com’ campaign, the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau is speaking back to the naysayers who seem to believe that offshore destinations like Puerto Rico can’t offer the “appropriate business-like atmosphere” in which their meetings will run problem free.
“When it comes to off shore meeting destinations with the U.S. market, it is very simple. Meeting planners want easy air access and a good business infrastructure. They want cell phone reception with a U.S. carrier, an English-speaking people, U.S. shipping services and currency and they don’t want to deal with traveling with a passport,” stated Ramón Sánchez, EVP and COO, Puerto Rico Convention Bureau.
“Puerto Rico delivers on all of these fronts and through our ‘Not A Boondoggle’ campaign, we’re telling planners that not only do we deliver, but we exceed their business meeting expectations.”
Currently, the ‘Not A Boondoggle.com’ campaign consists of a dedicated web site, www.notaboondoggle.com, which promotes Puerto Rico’s many business attributes, while “admitting” to what attendees find enjoyable about the destination.
Further elements of the campaign will include interactive meeting planning tools and collateral pieces that will serve as a promotional theme at trade shows.
The campaign, an extension of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau’s highly successful ‘SMOOTH Meetings’ promotional theme, focuses on statements that highlight Puerto Rico’s cutting-edge technology, budget friendly accommodation options, U.S. ties, and similar benefits.
To further push the message, the campaign incorporates provocative headlines, bright graphics and layouts that stand-out from current destination marketing initiatives within the meetings arena.
‘Not A Boondoggle.com’ works to educate planners about the business infrastructure and know-how that Puerto Rico offers to make meetings a success on the Island, arming planners with facts about the Island as a serious meeting destination to bring to the boss when selecting Puerto Rico.
At the same time, the campaign highlights the attributes that make delegates jump at the opportunity to meet in a vibrant, sophisticated meeting destination.
“The term ‘boondoggle’ means a scheme that wastes time and money -- the last thing meeting planners want out of their events or want others to perceive of their programs,” stated Sánchez.
“’Notaboondoggle.com’ is a highly memorable, somewhat tongue-in-cheek way of saying, yes we have all the attractive elements that make an offshore destination appealing to groups, but when it comes to meetings and conventions, we’re all business.”
For more information, visit Puerto Rico Convention Bureau
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