Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, a state agency known by the initials CTPR, has launched a series of meetings with directors of cruise lines with the aim of making the U.S. Caribbean commonwealth foundation for the industry.

Jaime Lopez said that with this project he plans to make the island in the next three years one of the chief Caribbean port sector, according CTPR’s 2009-2013 Strategic Plan.

He denounced as Puerto Rico’s inacceptable, with infrastructure and the level of economic development has, ranks only fifth as a Caribbean cruise port of call for the Cozumel, the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, St. Martin and Jamaica.

Lopez also said that the increase in air traffic to the island is closely related to the existing cruise ship.

The directors said that CTPR Puerto Rico since 2004, has lost eight cruise lines that use San Juan as the center of their operations in the Caribbean.

Lopez said he will not abandon efforts to make Puerto Rico the main base for the Caribbean cruise lines, a project he plans to return to the advertising budget approaching $ 20 million.