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Friday, January 3, 2020

Puerto Rico Enters 2020 Riding a Tropical Destination Crescendo

Island Wins Awards, Opens Resorts and Golf Course, Launches El Distrito, Hosts PGA Tour Event 


(SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO) – Long coveted for its exquisite beaches, vibrant culture, and traveler friendly attributes, Puerto Rico bursts into 2020, building upon the extraordinary success that was 2019, a year filled with firsts and an array of attractions satisfying a spectrum of travel desires.

On the gastronomic front, Vianda, in Santurce, was named one of the “50 Best Restaurants in the Caribbean, 2020” by Caribbean Journal this month. This distinction comes shortly after being selected among the “20 Best New Restaurants in America” by the James Beard Foundation. That’s high praise, indeed, considering Puerto Rico has more than 4,000 restaurants. Vianda serves a small, constantly evolving, farm-to-table menu anchored by local ingredients and products. The San Juan eatery creates, fresh food focusing on the best that Puerto Rico has to offer: its agriculture and warm hospitality.

Famous for its tropical setting and esteemed courses, the Island’s golf options shine year-round, but particularly during winter months when sun-kissed courses reward players who escape to the Caribbean. The recent re-opening of El Conquistador Golf Course comes at a fortuitous time, bringing to 18 the number of Island golf courses. All are open to the public and designed by first-class architects, including Robert Trent Jones (Sr. and Jr.), Tom and George Fazio, Gary Player, and Rees Jones. According to Golf Advisor (the Golf Channel owned information platform featuring more than 825,000 reviews of 14,000-plus golf courses): “Playing El Conquistador never gets boring . . . The views from its elevated tees steal the show. The 15th tee seemingly overlooks the entire island.”

The Puerto Rico Open – the PGA Tour event wherein Tony Finau, Jason Day and other stars have flourished – will be played February 20-23 at the newly unveiled Hyatt Regency Reserve Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico native Rafael Campos will play in the event as a PGA Tour member for the first time, having earned his membership to golf’s highest professional echelon last year. The luxury resort sports two 18-hole championship courses designed by Tom Kite. Located in Rio Grande on a scenic peninsula, the multi-amenity property is framed with views of El Yunque rain forest and the ocean.
One of the most anticipated attractions for Puerto Rico visitors in early 2020 is El Distrito. Scheduled to debut in the capital city during the first quarter, it’s a technologically advanced, multi-use development. While Puerto Rico is already a prime destination for meetings, events and conferences – no passport or currency exchange is needed for U.S. visitors – the El Distrito will launch a new era for the city.

The immersive, multi-sensorial, audiovisual and technologically advanced destination will be home to a new ALOFT hotel by Marriott, opening in late January. El Distrito will also feature an exhilarating urban zipline, a variety of restaurants, bars, lounges, the first day/night disco, and eight premium movie theaters. The 360,000 square foot state-of-the-art entertainment, retail and dining project combines the best in art, music, technology and hospitality. It will offer the ease of doing business with a U.S. destination, plus the allure of a Caribbean island filled with unique history and culture.

For more information on Island getaways, golf courses, resorts, and other destination attractions, visit: DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

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