By The Star Staff
Google and ABC’s Good Morning America have unveiled the computer giant’s annual list of the 20 most sought-after vacation destinations by travelers internationally, with San Juan, for the first time, placing on the list of the world’s top summer getaways.
San Juan joins such renowned tourist cities as Barcelona, Paris, London, Las Vegas, Orlando, Rome and Tokyo, among others.
Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo expressed satisfaction and motivation with the new positioning of San Juan as a favorite destination for the summer.
“We have stated this in the past and remain steadfast in our commitment to tourism,” the mayor said. “There is no doubt that the historical, cultural and gastronomic attractions we have, in addition to the tropical beach atmosphere of our capital city, make us a unique and ideal destination for all types of travelers. We already know that we can compete as equals with any destination in the world and we will continue with our efforts to promote our Capital City to the global tourism market.”
Daphne Barbeito, director of the island capital’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, said the recognition is the result of efforts made by the municipality to position itself as a world-class tourist destination.
“We have been promoting San Juan as a tourist destination for three years, establishing a presence at international fairs such as FITUR in Spain, partnering with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of the United Nations, announcing ourselves as an ideal destination in the media of cities such as New York and Chicago, and we are already seeing how these initiatives are beginning to bear fruit,” she said.
Google’s list compiles information from searches made between January and mid-March by users who anticipate traveling in the summer. Both Madrid and San Juan make the list for the first time. Cancún dropped from first place to sixth, and Tokyo continued to climb the rankings while Chicago and San Francisco both dropped.