The Commonwealth government in Puerto Rico has taken out two page advertisements (in AARP Magazine) for why people should be vacationing in Puerto Rico. At the same time, I have seen news stories and some advertisements for why people should be vacationing in Cuba. Now that there are official direct flights between Cuba and the United States (118 at the last count), there seems to be an advertising war going on for drawing in American tourists. Puerto Rico advertises quality, history and the fact it is a part of the United States and therefore Americans do not need a passport. Advertisements for Cuba seem to emphasize that Cuba is a cheap place to shop, has history and cultural like Puerto Rico, and that it is only 90 miles from the United States.
Both Puerto Rico and Cuba want tourists’ money so that they can deal with their current problems (Puerto Rico facing a huge debt, and Cuba dealing with immense poverty). They also want to develop their tourist trade further so that they will become greater tourist centers in the Caribbean (as well as inter-connecting centers for airlines in the Caribbean). For both Puerto Rico and Cuba, the stakes for more tourism are high, and there is no question that there is a kind of advertising war for vacation spots going on. What individual American tourists choose where to go is their decision. I can only hope that their choice is the one they want.
The Vacation Advertising Wars
The Commonwealth government in Puerto Rico has taken out two page advertisements (in AARP Magazine) for why people should be vacationing in Puerto Rico. At the same time, I have seen news stories and some advertisements for why people should be vacationing in Cuba. Now that there are official direct flights between Cuba and the United States (118 at the last count), there seems to be an advertising war going on for drawing in American tourists. Puerto Rico advertises quality, history and the fact it is a part of the United States and therefore Americans do not need a passport. Advertisements for Cuba seem to emphasize that Cuba is a cheap place to shop, has history and cultural like Puerto Rico, and that it is only 90 miles from the United States.
Both Puerto Rico and Cuba want tourists’ money so that they can deal with their current problems (Puerto Rico facing a huge debt, and Cuba dealing with immense poverty). They also want to develop their tourist trade further so that they will become greater tourist centers in the Caribbean (as well as inter-connecting centers for airlines in the Caribbean). For both Puerto Rico and Cuba, the stakes for more tourism are high, and there is no question that there is a kind of advertising war for vacation spots going on. What individual American tourists choose where to go is their decision. I can only hope that their choice is the one they want.