GETTING HERE & USEFUL INFORMATION
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TRAVELING TO PUERTO RICO
Located at the gateway to the Caribbean, the island of Puerto Rico is approximately 110 miles long and 35 miles wide. San Juan, the capital city is a unique juxtaposition of old and new — with modern business structures and services as well as traditional Puerto Rican and colonial Spanish flavors in Old San Juan. Puerto Rico’s second largest city, Ponce is just 90 minutes from San Juan.
ISLAND HISTORY
In 1493 Columbus claimed Puerto Rico for Spain, and the island remained under Spanish rule until 1898 when Spain ceded the island to the U.S. in the Spanish-American War. In 1917, under the Jones Act, Puerto Rico’s residents became U.S. citizens and the island became a commonwealth of the U.S. in 1952.
GETTING TO PUERTO RICO – Puerto Rico is easily accessible to visitors with three major airports. The island’s largest airport, the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU), is located in the Isla Verde section of San Juan, minutes from the Condado area. The Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel is only a short drive from SJU.
BY AIR –San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is one of the Caribbean islands’ major international airports with service from many major domestic and international airlines. Most major hubs including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC offer daily non-stop service to San Juan. Airlines serving Puerto Rico include: American Airlines, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Spirit, US Airways, United, Liberia, and Copa Airlines among others. American Airlines has made San Juan its hub for all flights to other Caribbean destinations.
GROUND TRANSPORTATION – Follow signs in the airport for ground transportation and taxi service. Taxis, buses and rental cars offer visitors convenient ground transportation.
Easily identifiable “Taxi Turistico” or tourist taxis operate on a fare-zone basis among the airport or cruise ship pier and designated tourist zones including Old San Juan and the San Juan resorts. All other times they are hired on a metered basis or rented on an hourly rate.
GETTING AROUND BY CAR – Awide range of rental car companies are available at the airport. Additionally, Avis car rental is located conveniently on the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel property in the parking garage. Overnight self-parking at the hotel is available for $16.00per day. Valet parking rates are $22 per day.
CUSTOMS AND DOCUMENTS – Puerto Rico is a U.S. Commonwealth therefore, passports are not necessary for U.S. citizens to travel between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Foreign nationals should have valid passports and visas as required. Travelers flying from Puerto Rico to the U.S. are subject to check-in baggage inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the airport as taking certain fruits and plants into the U.S. are prohibited For more information call (787) 253-4505 or U.S. Customs at (787) 253-4533.
For non U.S. citizens who require a visa to travel to the ATA meeting, you must initiate the visa process on your own. Here are some considerations – or steps to follow:
- Your passport must not expire within 6 months of the meeting dates.
- The country you are traveling from must have an U.S. embassy in order for the visa application to be processed successfully.
- You must request an appointment at your local U.S. embassy.
- You will have to present an invitation (provided by the ATA upon request to each visa applicant) to show proof that you are traveling for the ATA meeting. A letter from the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau will be filed on behalf of the ATA with the U.S. State Department to assist with the process.
- Please note that the visa processing time and other requirements vary within each country. ATA suggests that those ATA attendees requiring a visa start the application process at least 3 -4 months (June 2013) in advance of the ATA Meeting.
CLIMATE AND ATTIRE – The average year-round temperature is a balmy 82º F (28º C), with mild easterly trade winds. Most days are sunny and beautiful, although there tends to be slightly more rain in early fall. Lightweight summer clothes are appropriate. At certain establishments informal evening wear is required — jackets for men and dresses or dressy pants for women. Short pants are worn only for sporty occasions. For the ATA meeting, business or resort casual wear is suggested.
CURRENCY – U.S. dollar is the local currency and ATMs are generally easy to find. Most businesses accept major credit cards, as well as traveler’s checks.
LANGUAGE – Puerto Rico has two official languages, Spanish and English. English is widely spoken, especially in San Juan.
PHONE SYSTEM – The phone system is the same as in the U.S. and most all major U.S. wireless carriers have good service here. The Island`s area codes are 787 and 939. You need to dial the area code before placing a call anywhere within Puerto Rico and the U.S. For international calls, international codes apply. Calling cards used in the U.S. can be used in Puerto Rico as well.
TIPPING – As in the U.S. mainland, a 15% to 20% tip is customary. Some hotels and restaurants add a 10% to 17% service charge to the total bill.
