mainland), the airports in Puerto Rico are keen to diversify into new markets. passengers (90 to 94 per cent of their tourists come from the U.S. We are breaking records in terms of passenger traffic, and in terms of seat capacity, we are pretty much back at the level we were in 2019.”ĭespite enjoying a healthy serving of U.S. The previous record was set the month before in June with 513,000. In July 2021, we had 554,000 airport arrivals. Speaking about the measures they introduced at the airports to try to control the spread of COVID-19, Pierluisi explained the travel declaration form system set up at the airports, along with thermo cameras to identify passengers with high temperatures, and the requirement of either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result.ĭespite 2020 being a tough year, 2021 has been a definite improvement according to Pierluisi, with the tourism market recovering very well: “In terms of airport arrivals, in July 2021 we broke the record. Puerto Rico enjoys direct flights to many major American cities such as Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and Dallas, which certainly creates an opportunity for growth for the island. The island has three international airports the main one located in San Juan, with a smaller airport in Ponce, and another small to medium-sized airport in Aguadilla. Being an island, air connectivity is of crucial importance for Puerto Rico’s economic development.
