46 April 2016 - Business View Caribbean
balized business venture. We offer legal and financial
safeguards to support the most complex operations
and we have a highly specialized and highly experi-
enced workforce capable of handling the most elabo-
rate projects.
Puerto Rico offers the lowest operational costs of any
jurisdiction in North America, making it the perfect
bridge to access a potential market of 500 million
people. We are the ideal venue for holding commercial
and cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Span-
ish-speaking countries. There is no doubt that Puerto
Rico and its neighboring countries have the capability
to create transformative changes at international and
hemispheric levels that will influence and shape eco-
nomic trade policies.
As a step in that direction, I want to propose the devel-
opment of a regional and cooperative model for tour-
ism that includes Puerto Rico as a strategic partner
to propel growth locally and abroad. Our international
airport handles thousands of direct flights to all ma-
jor cities in the U.S. and top destinations in Europe
and Latin America. We have reclaimed the position of
main hub for the Inter-Caribbean network. In the last
two years, Puerto Rico welcomed new regional routes
and restored connections to 14 islands in the Carib-
bean through commercial agreements with Seaborne,
Cape Air, InterCaribbean Airways, and Winnair, among
others.
Cruise ship visits are also on the rise. Earlier this year
we set a new record of 18,000 passengers in one day.
In 2016, we will receive the two largest cruise ship
boats from the Royal Caribbean line, each with a ca-
pacity of 6,300 passengers. This is an opportunity that
expands beyond our shores.
