Oasis Connections Season Three: Hospitality, Culture, and a Better Way Forward
Oasis Connections returned for its third season at Oasis Santurce with a session focused on one of Puerto Rico’s most powerful engines for economic and cultural vitality: hospitality. In conversation with Abarca CEO Jason Borschow, Paco Suárez—Founder & CEO of Bluhost and Chairman of the Board of Discover Puerto Rico (the DMO)—shared his journey from housekeeping trainee to industry leader, and the lessons hospitality offers for organizations, communities, and the island’s future.
From Housekeeping to Helm: The Making of a Hospitality Leader
Paco Suárez entered hospitality almost by coincidence—but stayed because of purpose. Early roles at the Puerto Rico Tourism Company gave him his first look at the visitor economy. Graduate studies at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration expanded that foundation, and hands-on leadership at iconic properties such as El Conquistador, El San Juan, and Condado Vanderbilt sharpened his operational and cultural philosophy.
During the pandemic, Suárez chose a bold path: entrepreneurship. He founded Bluhost, now operating a growing portfolio of boutique hotels and standalone restaurants across Puerto Rico.
“Service is technical. Hospitality is how you make someone feel.” — Paco Suárez
Hospitality as Strategy — Not Just Industry
The Human Element
Suárez emphasized a key distinction introduced by restaurateur Danny Meyer:
- Service is the execution.
- Hospitality is the emotional connection.
This perspective aligns deeply with the purpose of Oasis Santurce—a workplace intentionally designed to spark community, connection, belonging, and shared experience.
Why Hospitality Matters to Business
For organizations like Abarca, hospitality is integral to:
- Client experience
- Recruiting talent to Puerto Rico
- Hosting national conferences and leadership gatherings
- Strengthening team culture and community impact
Hospitality is not an amenity—it’s strategic infrastructure.
Culture as an Economic Force
The discussion also touched on Puerto Rico’s cultural renaissance—energized in part by global icons like Bad Bunny.
Culture is a magnet. When Puerto Rico leads with authenticity, the world responds.
What visitors are seeking today is not a staged performance of “Puerto Rico”—but Puerto Rico as it truly is.
Neighborhoods, local cuisine, music, and art are now central to the island’s brand.
Balancing Growth and Identity
Audience questions raised an important point:
How do we welcome increasing visitors while preserving the island’s cultural core?
Suárez and Borschow aligned on a guiding principle:
What improves life for residents improves experience for visitors.
Focus areas:
- Sustainable expansion of tourism outside the usual zones
- Protection of local businesses and neighborhoods
- Infrastructure improvements that serve everyone
- Policies that prevent “franchise-ification” of cultural districts
From Conversation to Commitment
Hospitality is strategic infrastructure—it grows talent, strengthens culture, and expands economic mobility. As we close Season Three, the assignment is clear: turn insight into habit.
Oasis Connections exists to turn purpose into practice. We’re not just talking about change—we’re building it, one purposeful conversation at a time.
About the Speakers
Paco “Peco” Suárez
Founder & CEO, Bluhost
Chairman of the Board, Discover Puerto Rico
Cornell School of Hotel Administration alumnus and veteran leader in hotel + restaurant development.
Jason Borschow
CEO, Abarca
Committed to building innovative talent ecosystems and cultural impact rooted in Puerto Rico.
About Abarca
At Abarca, we believe in an Unstoppable Drive for a Better Way. Our commitment to making healthcare seamless and personalized for all drives us to innovate in AI, drug trend management, and predictive analytics. By transforming challenges into opportunities, we deliver PBM like no one else: better patient outcomes and a revolutionary healthcare experience. Join us in shaping the future at the intersection of technology and care!