First Hotel Certifications Granted Under the Puerto Rico Medical Tourism Program

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Aug 19, 2015, 05:17 ET

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Puerto Rico Medical Tourism Corporation and the Medical Tourism Association (MTA), whose headquarters are located in Florida, announced today that the Caribe Hilton and the Condado Plaza Hilton are the first hotel providers in the Island to be certified after the training and inspection process under the Medical Tourism Program.

"As part of our strategic plan, we hired the MTA for the process of training and certification to entities that not only provide healthcare services, but also complimentary services to medical tourism patients. During the month of August we initiated the second stage of certifications for the hospitality industry with a large group of hotels that are currently serving patients from abroad. Many of them are already in their final stage and today we are pleased to announce the first certifications for Caribe Hilton and Condado Plaza," said Francisco G. Bonet, executive director of the Puerto Rico Medical Tourism Corporation.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the MTA, said that the results achieved through the initiative of International Patient Services and WellHotel Training & Certification have been successful. "Caribe Hilton and Condado Plaza will continue to further develop. We are proud to continue partnering with institutions characterized by their pioneering spirit that elevate their training efforts to benefit both residents of Puerto Rico and travelling patients," said Edelheit.

The Caribe Hilton and the Condado Plaza, iconic hotels in the Condado area, trained their executive, financial and administrative staff, as well as their customer service department through the program offered by the Puerto Rico Medical Tourism Corporation and the MTA. According to the general manager of the Caribe Hilton, Pablo Torres, "To the Caribe Hilton it is of great importance to continue providing excellence and quality in all our services for the wellbeing of our guests." Additionally, Raúl Bustamante, managing director of the Condado Plaza Hilton stated, "Today we receive this certification that validates the optimal fulfillment of our quality standards."

It is expected that during this semester half a dozen hotels will meet all the requirements for certification and others will incorporate throughout the rest of the year. Also, the Puerto Rico Medical Tourism Corporation has launched aggressive marketing efforts abroad. The projected development of this industry will create thousands of jobs and inject millions of dollars into Puerto Rico's economy during these next three years.

SOURCE Medical Tourism Association