Singer Ricky Martin joins the list of other Puerto Ricans like Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, helping the government of Puerto Rico with their economic development strategies.
Starting March 25, 2011, during his world tour, Ricky Martin will work with the government of Puerto Rico on a campaign to promote tourism to the island.
The "Puerto Rico lo hace mejor" (Puerto Rico does it better) campaign will be featured in the advertising and on the concert entry tickets, in the more than 70 cities, where Martin will perform on his "Musica, alma, sexo" tour. During the concert, videos will be played that show landscapes, tourist attractions and culinary and gastronomic delicacies of Puerto Rico. The campaign is intended to help promote Puerto Rico as a destination full of touristic, economic and investment opportunities.
The singer mentioned, that Puerto Rico is always present within him, and expressed his gratitude for the chance to be able to collaborate with the campaign, to position Puerto Rico more advantageously in the tourism industry.
The Department of Economic Development and Commerce will also coordinate special events, in several of the cities where Martin will perform, to provide information about the economic incentives, investment opportunities, infrastructure projects and tourist attractions to groups of potential investors.
Martin will kick off his world tour in the Jose M. Agrelot Colosseum in San Juan with four shows. Then the singer will travel to Orlando and Miami, as well as to Montreal, Canada.
Looks like it will be a great tour! What are your thoughts?
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saborea: A Culinary Fest In Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is the place for great food. The annual Saborea Puerto Rico food festival will take place this April 1-3, in San Juan. Food lovers will be flocking to the island to take part in Saborea Puerto Rico.
Saborea Puerto Rico was created to celebrate the Caribbean traditions, and worldwide flavors, that can be found all around the island of Puerto Rico. The event will bring together celebrities, and master chefs for a weekend of activities including demo kitchens, wine seminars, and a Tasting Pavilion.
Escambrón Beach in Puerta de Tierra is the location for this gastronomic feast. Each day, guests visiting the Saborea Puerto Rico Village will enjoy samples from Puerto Rico’s finest restaurants. Demo kitchens will provide visitors with the opportunity to be able to learn the techniques, and ingredients to prepare recipes the way the experts do.
Over 50 international and local culinary personalities are schedule to take part in the event.
Local chefs Roberto Trevino, Mario Pagán, Giovanna Huyke, Marisoll Hernández, Angel Santiago, Efraín Cruz, Fernando Parrilla, Mario Ferro, Germania Diaz, Juan Peña and Pablo Budet, have already confirmed their participation to show off the tasty dishes, that have positioned Puerto Rico as the gastronomic capitol of the Caribbean.
Also, notable chefs, Govind Armstrong of Los Angeles; Douglas Rodríguez and Harry Pagancoss of Miami; Denisse Oller, Alex García and Maximo Tejada from New York; and Francisco Castro and Kalych Padro of Panamá will be participating.
If you enjoy food and wine, bring your appetite, and do not miss Saborea Puerto Rico, the best culinary event in the Caribbean.
Have you been to Saborea? What was your experience? Share your thoughts.
Saborea Puerto Rico was created to celebrate the Caribbean traditions, and worldwide flavors, that can be found all around the island of Puerto Rico. The event will bring together celebrities, and master chefs for a weekend of activities including demo kitchens, wine seminars, and a Tasting Pavilion.
Escambrón Beach in Puerta de Tierra is the location for this gastronomic feast. Each day, guests visiting the Saborea Puerto Rico Village will enjoy samples from Puerto Rico’s finest restaurants. Demo kitchens will provide visitors with the opportunity to be able to learn the techniques, and ingredients to prepare recipes the way the experts do.
Over 50 international and local culinary personalities are schedule to take part in the event.
Local chefs Roberto Trevino, Mario Pagán, Giovanna Huyke, Marisoll Hernández, Angel Santiago, Efraín Cruz, Fernando Parrilla, Mario Ferro, Germania Diaz, Juan Peña and Pablo Budet, have already confirmed their participation to show off the tasty dishes, that have positioned Puerto Rico as the gastronomic capitol of the Caribbean.
Also, notable chefs, Govind Armstrong of Los Angeles; Douglas Rodríguez and Harry Pagancoss of Miami; Denisse Oller, Alex García and Maximo Tejada from New York; and Francisco Castro and Kalych Padro of Panamá will be participating.
If you enjoy food and wine, bring your appetite, and do not miss Saborea Puerto Rico, the best culinary event in the Caribbean.
Have you been to Saborea? What was your experience? Share your thoughts.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Taste Of Rum Festival In Puerto Rico
The Rum Capitol of the world, Puerto Rico has a rum festival! Taste of Rum, is the official rum festival of Pureto Rico, dedicated to promoting high-end Puerto Rican rums.
The Taste of Rum festival takes place at the Paseo La Princesa, in Old San Juan. Open to the general public, does lucky to attend, get a chance to experience all the prominent Puerto Rican Rums. There is also, great food from wonderful local restaurants, live music and dancing. Taste of Rum is a celebration of rum and culinary excellence in Puerto Rico.
The 2011 Taste of Rum festival will be held March 19 and 20th, so get your taste buds ready!
Take a look at last year's Taste of Rum:
Have you been? Are you going?
For more information on The Taste of Rum festival, please visit the official site:
www.tasteofrum.com
The Taste of Rum festival takes place at the Paseo La Princesa, in Old San Juan. Open to the general public, does lucky to attend, get a chance to experience all the prominent Puerto Rican Rums. There is also, great food from wonderful local restaurants, live music and dancing. Taste of Rum is a celebration of rum and culinary excellence in Puerto Rico.
The 2011 Taste of Rum festival will be held March 19 and 20th, so get your taste buds ready!
Take a look at last year's Taste of Rum:
Have you been? Are you going?
For more information on The Taste of Rum festival, please visit the official site:
www.tasteofrum.com
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Puerto Rico And A Cruise Vacation
It was time for a vacation. A round trip cruise from Puerto Rico, to some of the islands in the Caribbean, was the first thing that came to my mind. In the need for a relaxing vacation, I decided to revisit a few of the islands in the Caribbean. I decided to take a Southern Caribbean cruise. It had been many years, since I had traveled that route. Living in Puerto Rico, it is very easy to get on a cruise. This vacation was more of a get away, last minute trip, and having the ability to jump on a cruise ship, without having to take a plane, is a great plus.
Puerto Rico means rich port, and Puerto Rico, has the most exiting port in the Caribbean, San Juan. The port of San Juan, is one of the busiest in the world, and is the second largest cruise port in the Western Hemisphere. The city welcomes over a million cruise ship passengers every year. As you get on or off the ship, at the port in San Juan, you are in the old city, Old San Juan, one of the major attractions in the island of Puerto Rico. The Southern Caribbean cruise took me to these ports and islands: Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; St. John's, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. I love the Caribbean, and I enjoyed very much coming back to these islands.
All the cruise lines offer your typical "discover the island' tours, but they also have some exotic or adventurous tours: Kayaking, hiking, jeep and helicopter tours. There is a tour for everyones taste. Having toured these islands before, I decided to do my own thing, at my own time, while we were at port. I did some shopping, walked around the different towns, socialised with the locals, and had a taste of the local restaurants. The cruise lasted 7 days and it was very relaxing.
Talking with some folks on the cruise, I was surprised, that some had very little time to visit Puerto Rico before they got on-board, and that at the end of the cruise, they only had time to take one tour, before catching their flight back home. In my opinion, of all the islands in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico has the most to offer. There is so much to see, than your typical "city tour." If you are planning on taking a cruise to the Caribbean, that begins or ends in Puerto Rico, it is a great idea to take a few days, before or after your cruise, to explore some of the sights. A few of the travelers during my cruise, were disappointed they were not able to spend more time in Puerto Rico.
Taking a round trip Caribbean cruise from Puerto Rico was a great choice for a vacation. Even better, I only had to take a short cab ride to get home.
What are your favorite islands in the Caribbean?
Puerto Rico means rich port, and Puerto Rico, has the most exiting port in the Caribbean, San Juan. The port of San Juan, is one of the busiest in the world, and is the second largest cruise port in the Western Hemisphere. The city welcomes over a million cruise ship passengers every year. As you get on or off the ship, at the port in San Juan, you are in the old city, Old San Juan, one of the major attractions in the island of Puerto Rico. The Southern Caribbean cruise took me to these ports and islands: Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; St. John's, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. I love the Caribbean, and I enjoyed very much coming back to these islands.
All the cruise lines offer your typical "discover the island' tours, but they also have some exotic or adventurous tours: Kayaking, hiking, jeep and helicopter tours. There is a tour for everyones taste. Having toured these islands before, I decided to do my own thing, at my own time, while we were at port. I did some shopping, walked around the different towns, socialised with the locals, and had a taste of the local restaurants. The cruise lasted 7 days and it was very relaxing.
Talking with some folks on the cruise, I was surprised, that some had very little time to visit Puerto Rico before they got on-board, and that at the end of the cruise, they only had time to take one tour, before catching their flight back home. In my opinion, of all the islands in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico has the most to offer. There is so much to see, than your typical "city tour." If you are planning on taking a cruise to the Caribbean, that begins or ends in Puerto Rico, it is a great idea to take a few days, before or after your cruise, to explore some of the sights. A few of the travelers during my cruise, were disappointed they were not able to spend more time in Puerto Rico.
Taking a round trip Caribbean cruise from Puerto Rico was a great choice for a vacation. Even better, I only had to take a short cab ride to get home.
What are your favorite islands in the Caribbean?
Friday, March 11, 2011
A Third U.S. Tsunami Warning Center Is Headed To Puerto Rico
The federal government is setting up a warning center in Puerto Rico to improve the detection and warning system for tsunamis in the Caribbean and the U.S. East Coast.
This will be the third center in the United States. Currently, the only two tsunami warning centers in the United States are in the Pacific region. The one at Ewa Beach, Hawaii is responsible for issuing warnings for Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and some 90 foreign jurisdictions. The other, at Palmer, Alaska, covers the state of Alaska, the coasts of the U.S. mainland, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Tsunami centers calculate everything from the possible size of a tsunami to the areas it might hit, providing local authorities with the information necessary for evacuations and warnings. With both of these centers located in the same general region of the world, they could be damaged or destroyed by an earthquake or tsunami event. Adding a center in the Caribbean, would eliminate any concern or risk that could arise from any failure or lag in communication between Alaska and the Caribbean.
The Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, has offered $6 million for the construction of a facility at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. The United States Congress would have to provide another $6 million for construction, and funding to cover the cost to operate the center.
This is a great idea, after the massive earthquake and tsunami we have seen in Japan. Creating a back up to provide advanced warning is a must.
This will be the third center in the United States. Currently, the only two tsunami warning centers in the United States are in the Pacific region. The one at Ewa Beach, Hawaii is responsible for issuing warnings for Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and some 90 foreign jurisdictions. The other, at Palmer, Alaska, covers the state of Alaska, the coasts of the U.S. mainland, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Tsunami centers calculate everything from the possible size of a tsunami to the areas it might hit, providing local authorities with the information necessary for evacuations and warnings. With both of these centers located in the same general region of the world, they could be damaged or destroyed by an earthquake or tsunami event. Adding a center in the Caribbean, would eliminate any concern or risk that could arise from any failure or lag in communication between Alaska and the Caribbean.
The Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, has offered $6 million for the construction of a facility at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. The United States Congress would have to provide another $6 million for construction, and funding to cover the cost to operate the center.
This is a great idea, after the massive earthquake and tsunami we have seen in Japan. Creating a back up to provide advanced warning is a must.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Jennifer Lopez And Marc Anthony Attend Film Industry Bill Signing in Puerto Rico
Last Friday, The Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis G. Fortuño, signed into law the Economic Incentives for the Development of the Puerto Rico Film Industry Act, a bill that is designed to make Puerto Rico’s current production incentives among the most attractive in the industry. Participating in the event was Jennifer López and Marc Anthony. It had been previously reported, that the entertainment industry power couple was interested in building a state-of-the-art studio in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. At the event, Anthony and Lopez did not make any comments on their plans for the studio. Marc Anthony praised the Fortuño administration for updating the film incentives law, and said, that "all producers have their eyes on the island." Jennifer Lopez said," she always believed in the potential of Puerto Rico."
Under the new law, the government of Puerto Rico has created a series of new incentives and expanded current ones. They include expanded lists of eligible projects, higher caps on existing incentives and new incentives for the development and operation of production facilities on the Island. The law, which replaces one initially passed in 1999, establishes a system of tax decrees very similar to what the island government offers the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
The new law expands the definition of eligible projects to include documentaries, film shorts, music videos, video games and the filming of live shows, among others. It also increases the amount of the tax credit to 25% from 20% for related infrastructure projects, subject to a minimum $5 million investment. Studio operators who qualify will get a special tax rate of between 4% and 10% on earnings, complete exemption on dividends, plus exemptions against municipal and property taxes.
The new law will be overseen by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce and the Puerto Rico Film Commission. According to the Puerto Rico Film Commission, a dozen movies, TV series and documentaries shot in Puerto Rico last year brought in $70 million to the economy of Puerto Rico. Over 60 productions have taken advantage of Puerto Rico’s current incentive program, including Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean 4,” Universal Picture’s “Fast 5” and Warner Brothers’ “The Losers,” in addition to a variety of independent films such as “The Rum Diary,” starring Johnny Depp, “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” starring George Clooney and “Che”, starring Puerto Rican-born actor Benicio Del Toro.
Great news for Puerto Rico and the film industry. Take a look at a video from the event:
Under the new law, the government of Puerto Rico has created a series of new incentives and expanded current ones. They include expanded lists of eligible projects, higher caps on existing incentives and new incentives for the development and operation of production facilities on the Island. The law, which replaces one initially passed in 1999, establishes a system of tax decrees very similar to what the island government offers the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
The new law expands the definition of eligible projects to include documentaries, film shorts, music videos, video games and the filming of live shows, among others. It also increases the amount of the tax credit to 25% from 20% for related infrastructure projects, subject to a minimum $5 million investment. Studio operators who qualify will get a special tax rate of between 4% and 10% on earnings, complete exemption on dividends, plus exemptions against municipal and property taxes.
The new law will be overseen by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce and the Puerto Rico Film Commission. According to the Puerto Rico Film Commission, a dozen movies, TV series and documentaries shot in Puerto Rico last year brought in $70 million to the economy of Puerto Rico. Over 60 productions have taken advantage of Puerto Rico’s current incentive program, including Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean 4,” Universal Picture’s “Fast 5” and Warner Brothers’ “The Losers,” in addition to a variety of independent films such as “The Rum Diary,” starring Johnny Depp, “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” starring George Clooney and “Che”, starring Puerto Rican-born actor Benicio Del Toro.
Great news for Puerto Rico and the film industry. Take a look at a video from the event:
