Above: San Juan (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Caribbean will soon be home to its first-ever international tourism expo.

Puerto Rico’s Tourism Company ha sannounced the Expo de Turismo Internacional, the first-ever conference of its kind in the region, will take place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center May 13-16.

The tourism expo will feature pavilions from the Caribbean and beyond, showcasing “the beauty, sports, nature, adventure, and gastronomy experiences available throughout the Caribbean and beyond,” according to the Tourism Company.

“In planning for this event and with input from local and regional organizations such as the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association and ASTA and APAV,” said Ingrid Rivera Rocafort, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “We are confident that this event has the potential to be a mainstay on the international calendar of tourism events.”

Rivera said that, as the US travel market’s top-selling destination, “the Caribbean has long required an annual event tailored specifically to travel agents.”

“The fact that Puerto Rico acts as a hub for the Caribbean with air and sea access to most islands, makes it an ideal location for this inaugural tourism expo,” she said.