Convention and Trade Show
PRHTA 22nd ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
September 3 - 5, 2008
Puerto Rico Convention Center
Striving for Excellence
Change Is in the Air
Tourism is changing. Who would have thought as recently as a decade ago that so many guests would now be making their reservations online or that they would be considering alternatives to help the hotels they visit conserve electricity and water? As the industry changes on a world-wide level, Puerto Rico must keep pace. For years, the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association has been a leader in promoting the changes that are necessary to remain competitive.
Two years ago we took a critical look at the future during the 2006 PRHTA Annual Convention & Trade Show. That year’s theme was Evolution: Moving into the Future, and our objective was to move from current uncertainties to future strengths. Seminars on such topics as branding, conserving energy and the new tax reform gave us insights into putting the island and our industry on sound economical footing, expanding our hospitality opportunities, and developing such niches as eco and culinary tourism. In 2007, the theme was Teamwork Makes It Happen, a call for all of us to work together at all levels and in all locales to further Puerto Rico’s standing as a grand tourism destination. During the convention, we focused on ways to increase the effectiveness of teamwork, from talking with experts during the Great Ideas Lounge to learning about our culinary strengths at a cooking demonstration and wine tasting.
Reaching New Heights
The theme for the 2008 Annual Convention is Striving for Excellence. Providing quality service in our hotels and restaurants has always been a PRHTA priority, as seen by the numerous seminars and workshops we offer during the convention and throughout the year. Waiters, hotel managers, taxi drivers, meeting planners, supervisors, marketing strategists, bartenders and many others have profited from these opportunities for self-improvement. However, with the increasingly aggressive competition among destinations not only in the Caribbean but in new “hot spots” around the world, Puerto Rico must not merely offer quality service but must provide outstanding service on a consistent basis. No longer can we be content with doing things well: we have to go the extra mile in order to remain a step ahead of the competition.
This year will feature the same level of outstanding speakers we have come to expect at our conventions. There will also be an exciting variety of new professional-development seminars and workshops. The trade show promises to be bigger and better, featuring all facets of the hospitality industry, and the culinary competitions will re-create the excitement and delicious flavors of our new annual event, Saborea Puerto Rico. Above all, there will be excitement and a new energy as we look for creative ways to face the future.
Evolution. Teamwork. Excellence. These are the keys to continued success, and they will mark the focus of our 2008 convention. Please join us in making this the best convention ever.