San Juan Gains Acceptance to BestCities.net Global Alliance of Convention Bureaus

If any one asks you:  What does Boston, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Melbourne, Singapore and Vancouver have in common with San Juan?  The answer is very simple:   BestCities.net.

And what is BestCities.net?

BestCities.net is a global alliance of convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) that deliver the world’s best service experience for the meetings industry.  BestCities.net promises an assurance of quality, expertise and professionalism to clients.  The Global Alliance was founded in 2000 by the convention bureaus of Boston, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Melbourne, and Vancouver.  In 2002, two additional cities, represented by their respective CVBs were granted membership: Cape Town and Dubai.

In 2003, San Juan, represented by the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau (PRCB), was granted provisional entry to BestCities.   The full-fledge inclusion of San Juan to the Alliance was scheduled for the end of 2005, conditioned to the following:  completion of the new Puerto Rico Convention Center, infrastructure enhancements at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, addition of more international flights, and increase awareness of San Juan as an international meetings destination.   Last August, the PRCB received the happy news that as the projects that needed completion are well under way, San Juan would become a full-fledge member by January 2005!    Together with San Juan, Singapore has also been added to the roster of cities that form the Global Alliance.  San Juan is proud to represent the Caribbean and Latin American countries in the BestCities.net global alliance, as the only Spanish speaking country.

What is the criteria that BestCities.net uses for selecting cities? Cities should have: 

• Great historical and cultural depth

• Geographical diversity

• International atmosphere

• Variety of museums, shopping, natural locations

• High standards of living

• Excellent cuisine – wealth of culinary experience

• Variety of land and maritime transportation

• International airports with excellent air access

• State-of-the-art convention center

What does being part of BestCities.net represents to San Juan?

Being part of the BestCities.net global alliance increases Puerto Rico’s potential to boost business in the conventions market at an international level.   It also enhances the Island as a destination, offers good business opportunities, and will help promote the new Convention Center slated to open in fall 2005.

Ana María Viscasillas, president and CEO of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau concluded, “BestCities.net not only recognizes San Juan’s many attributes, but also acknowledges the level of service that the Bureau provides to meeting and convention organizers and members. We’re very proud of this further testament to our commitment and dedication, as we are the only Spanish speaking country in the Alliance representing the Caribbean and Latin America; and, with the opening of the new Convention Center in 2005, we are the undisputed leader in making Puerto Rico the preferred meetings destination of the Americas.”  

For more information on BestCities.net visit www.bestcities.net.