Governor Kathy Hochul marked the 10th anniversary of New York State’s Office of Trade and Tourism in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. The office was established in 2015 to promote the longstanding relationship between New York and Puerto Rico, with a focus on economic, cultural, and governmental ties. Over the past decade, it has facilitated more than $68 million in trade across various industries such as food and beverages, life sciences, technology, agribusiness, and tourism.
“New York and Puerto Rico share a bond that runs deep — one built on shared culture, economic strength and resilience,” Governor Hochul said. “For ten years, the New York State Office of Trade and Tourism has helped turn that connection into collaboration, fostering opportunity, creating jobs and building bridges that benefit both regions. As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to a partnership that will continue to grow, innovate and deliver for families and businesses on both sides of the water.”
The office acts as New York’s main representative in Puerto Rico by supporting trade initiatives and tourism efforts. It helps expand markets for products from both regions while also assisting with humanitarian aid during major storms or earthquakes.
In its first decade, the office has organized agricultural exchanges between New York producers and Puerto Rican distributors. It has also promoted tourism by highlighting destinations in both areas.
A significant development occurred in 2023 when New York and Puerto Rico signed a Wine Export Agreement. This deal introduced New York wines to restaurants, hotels, and distributors in Puerto Rico for the first time. The agreement aims to boost New York’s wine industry while strengthening regional trade ties.
The office also supported Governor Hochul’s Life Science Exchange initiative. This program connects emerging life science startups from Puerto Rico with resources in New York’s innovation sector. In 2025 alone, two startup bootcamps were held—one in Puerto Rico (February 25-27) and another in New York City (September 29-30). These events brought together over 180 participants—including 21 startups from Puerto Rico—for networking sessions and investor meetings. One company involved in these exchanges joined IndieBio NY’s Spring 2025 cohort.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight commented: “The Office of Trade and Tourism has been central to New York’s relationship with Puerto Rico, creating pathways for growth in high-impact sectors. By connecting New York and Puerto Rico businesses with new markets and championing cultural exchange, NYSOTT has demonstrated the importance of sustained, on-the-ground engagement. We are proud to mark this ten-year milestone and excited for what the next decade of collaboration will bring.”
Leaders from government agencies as well as business groups attended an event at the Old San Juan headquarters to recognize achievements so far while discussing future opportunities for cooperation.
Empire State Development is responsible for promoting business growth across all regions of New York State through programs supporting job creation as well as initiatives like broadband expansion via ConnectALL or workforce development efforts through its Office of Strategic Workforce Development. More information can be found at https://esd.ny.gov/.
The Office of Trade and Tourism continues its mission by fostering economic growth through international trade partnerships while acting as a liaison during disaster recovery efforts between New York State and Puerto Rico.
