Gay Nagle Myers
Brad Dean seems to have the perfect qualities to head the island's nonprofit destination marketing organization, Discover Puerto Rico, which launched in July 2018, less than a year after the island was stricken by the deadly 2017 hurricane season.
In my interactions with him, he's action-oriented, optimistic, driven, observant, a good listener and a speaker with a calm delivery.
Dean's enthusiasm for the product he's promoting and marketing is apparent. I saw that when I first met him a year ago at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association's (CHTA) Caribbean Marketplace in Montego Bay. I saw it again at the recent CHTA event in Nassau.
Puerto Rico was -- and still is in some areas -- recovering from Hurricane Maria when Dean arrived on the scene in April 2018 from the chamber of commerce in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where he'd served as president and CEO since 2003. During his tenure there, tourism had skyrocketed to 18 million visitors annually, according to chamber estimates.
At the time of his hire with Discover Puerto Rico, he said: "The island's recent past has been challenging, but the future is bright for Puerto Rico and its tourism industry."
His message hasn't changed. Even as Puerto Rico continues its comeback from the storms of 2017 in terms of air arrivals and cruise numbers, hotel re-openings and developments, its southwestern coast has been socked with a series of strong earthquakes and aftershocks in early January that followed tremors that had had nerves jangling since December. Dean noted the resilience that marks the people of Puerto Rico, particularly when it comes to natural disasters, and he said that "the people of Puerto Rico have earned a PhD in earthquake recovery."
Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico, at the CHTA Marketplace in Nassau. Photo Credit: Gay Nagle Myers
As for 2019, he said it was "an incredibly productive year."
"Tourism had a $7.8 billion impact on Puerto Rico last year, and I know we can double that," he said.
"I felt good at the end of 2019," he said. "Our lodging sector got back on its feet pretty quickly, and those revenues were up 8.8% over 2018 figures. The booking pace continues to build. Airlift continues to expand. Cruise numbers are exploding. Tourism is more important now than it's ever been, and it's critical to the people of Puerto Rico and to our economic health."
While officials numbers for stayover air arrivals and cruise passenger numbers are not yet out, Dean was confident that records had been set.
"Our message continues to emphasize that we are open for business, that we warmly welcome our visitors and that our culture, music, dance, art, cuisine and natural beauty help differentiate this destination from others," he said.
For example, Dean cited the recent Blank Canvas Initiative, which celebrated and promoted the contributions of local and international street artists.
The response from artists to participate in the program by painting their murals on the walls of buildings all over the island, including on Culebra, "emphasizes what sets us apart from other destinations," he said.
"I love the murals. They'll remain on view indefinitely for our residents and visitors to enjoy."