Lin-Manuel Miranda joins effort to encourage travel between NYC and Puerto Rico
La Perla in San Juan; photo courtesy of Discover Puerto Rico
The tourism agencies of New York City and Puerto Rico are teaming up to boost travel between the two places. At an event on Tuesday hosted by Lin-Manuel Miranda, NYC & Company and Discover Puerto Rico signed a one-year alliance to encourage “reciprocal travel,” with a new advertising campaign and swapping of marketing tips. Miranda is also bringing his award-winning show “Hamilton” to the island from January 8 to January 27 at the Univesity of Puerto Rico’s San Juan campus. All proceeds from the engagement will go toward an art fund on the island founded by Miranda.
“As a first generation New Yorker with parents from Puerto Rico and family on the island, I’ve always felt a special connection not only to my life in upper Manhattan but with my roots and summers spent in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico,” Miranda said in a statement. “I do not exist without both or either. Today’s public commitment and bond between these two places that I hold so dear could not be more meaningful.”
The dual campaign will cost $308,000 and run between November 19 and January 13. The promotion includes ads for the Big Apple on billboards in San Juan and ads promoting the island on bus stop shelters and Link NYC screens across the five boroughs.
The new tagline “Famous Original, New York City. Always here for you.,” which will also be written in Spanish, will be featured in the promotions. Through this message, the agency hopes to remind Puerto Ricans that they are always welcome to NYC.
Puerto Rico will encourage New Yorkers to visit the island over the holidays, with a marketing campaign bosting “We’re Ready to Celebrate,” which shows off their classic Three King’s Day celebration and the San Sebastian street festival.
The partnership comes just over a year after Hurricane Maria, a damaging storm that took nearly 3,000 lives. New York City, which has the largest number of Puerto Rican residents in the mainland of the U.S, will soon be home to a permanent Hurricane Maria Memorial; Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month established a commission to provide recommendations on its site and design.
Currently, there are about 26 flights daily between the NYC area and Puerto Rico.
“New York City and Puerto Rico share a diverse culture and vibrancy that cultivates a unique affinity between the two destinations, and there could not be a better time for us to align our efforts,” Fred Dixon, the president of NYC & Company, said.
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