Domestic tourism in Puerto Rico surges, thanks to Bad Bunny
The superstar's 30-date concert run at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico that started on July 11 has led to a once-in-a-generation surge in flights and hotel bookings, giving the economy a trap-flavoured kick.
Discover Puerto Rico, the island's tourism promotion agency, says it's expecting 600,000 visitors during the period – about twice the average for those months – with the concerts pumping an estimated US$181mil (RM768.23mil) into the local economy.
The agency has no record of a single event that brought this many people to the island, not even Old San Juan's famed annual San Sebastian festival.
Moody's Analytics recently upgraded its economic forecast for the United States territory to account for a 'Bunny bump'. The artist even posted a photo recently on his Instagram account with a woman holding a sign that reads, 'Shop local for Bad Bunny's concert.'
World tours are common in an era of globalised pop. And they can have a real impact on host cities, with Harvard Business Review estimating that Taylor Swift's blockbuster Eras Tour poured US$10bil (RM42.44bil) into local economies across several continents.
But what Bad Bunny is doing – staying put – is unprecedented outside of Las Vegas residencies, said Jorge Perez, whose company runs the 18,500-seat Coliseo.
'You have the number one artist in the world who just released an album and is telling his followers, 'I'm not going on tour, I'm going to have 30 dates, and if you want to see me, come to my island',' said Perez, regional manager of ASM Global.
While Bad Bunny is going on a world tour, he only announced it after all the Puerto Rico dates were sold out.
Perez said the San Juan coliseum, affectionately known as the Choliseo, sold 450,000 tickets within four hours – a record for the venue.
Tourism jobs, which usually hover around 100,000 on an island of 3.2 million people, could see a temporary spike of about 3%, said Gustavo Rojas-Matute, assistant director of Moody's Analytics. The jump could have been as high as 8% if the local economy wasn't essentially at full employment, he said.
And the concerts are expected to boost GDP by about 0.15 percentage points, just enough to keep the economy from flat-lining for the fiscal year.
The influx of visitors '... is going to boost employment in the tourism sector for at least a quarter, but it's probably going to carry out a little bit into the future,' Rojas-Matute said.
Since the residency was announced, thousands of accommodation bookings have been made near the show's venue.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, is a one-time grocery bagger who has become one of the world's most bankable stars. He has appeared in the American Super Bowl half-time show, acted alongside Hollywood star Brad Pitt, and made frequent appearances on Saturday Night Live and the Tonight Show.
His latest album, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Pictures) is infused with salsa, bomba and plena rhythms that showcase his Puerto Rican roots.
Carolina Ramirez of New York snagged six tickets to see Bad Bunny with relatives in August. Her family, much of which still lives on the island, decided to turn the event into a reunion of sorts. The tickets cost about US$200 (RM850) each, and Ramirez spent US$800 (RM3,395) for her flight. She's expecting a house rental with her cousins and sister to run about US$1,000 (RM4,244) per person.
'Family is a priority for me,' said Ramirez, a partnership manager for excursion company Virgin Experience Gifts.
'I don't mind spending that much money and making this trip, because it's turned into a whole celebration. And I just love going back to the island.'
Discover Puerto Rico said there have already been 35,742 room nights sold in connection with the concerts at the 34 hotels it has been tracking. The agency has been flooding social media with tourism tips for Bad Bunny's fans, hoping they'll build entire itineraries around the shows.
'We're trying to get people to come before the concert and stay after and encourage them to get outside the metro area,' said Glorianna Yamin, Discover Puerto Rico's vice president of marketing. 'We want to capitalise on this captive audience.'
Bad Bunny will start his world tour only after he is done with the residency in his hometown.
One of those hoping to cash in on the concert crowds is Sara Contreras, who owns two Airbnbs in Fajardo, a water-sports hub about 45 minutes from the capital. Fans are already booking the rentals in August, and she's banking on a similar boost for September, typically a slow month.
'When people are reaching out, they're saying, 'We are going to Bad Bunny, and we're extending our trip',' said Contreras, a standup comedian who splits her time between New Jersey and Puerto Rico.
East Island Excursions, which runs boat charters, has introduced a 'Coffee And Salsa' day tour – frequent themes on the new album – to appeal to concertgoers.
'We are really hopeful,' said Sorren Varney, the company's director of sales and customer experience.
'We want this Bad Bunny boom to trickle down to everyone.'
The artist has a complicated relationship with the island's political class. During the last general election, he actively campaigned for an alliance of opposition parties that promote independence from the US, and he financed billboards calling the current leadership corrupt. (Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez seems to have forgiven him, offering free concert tickets to select public workers and students.)
In addition, Bad Bunny's refusal, thus far, to announce any tour dates on the US mainland has been interpreted by some as a political rebuke to President Donald Trump's 'America'.
Albert Laguna, who is teaching a Bad Bunny course at Yale University this fall, said Bunny's decision to anchor his world tour in Puerto Rico is shining a light on the territory's complicated history and its economic addiction to US visitors.
'You can kind of critique tourism all day, but also that person who can be selling water bottles outside the stadium – he's going to have a good month or two,' he said. 'Life is complicated and messy.' – Bloomberg
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
9 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Study tour boom fuels China's countryside revival
Children draw pictures beside the fields at Yuxin Town of Nanhu District in Jiaxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province on April 27, 2024. – Xinhua photo BEIJING (Aug 3): 'Traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books' is a proverb many Chinese parents have faith in, and its sentiment is fueling the rise of study tours, particularly during the ongoing summer vacation in China. Integrating educational content with holiday vibes, these tours typically involve visits to prestigious universities, museums and cultural heritage sites. And now a shift is underway – parents, schools and travel agencies are turning away from bustling cities and opting for the tranquil countryside when making holiday arrangements for children and teens, aiming to help them broaden their horizons and get close to nature. In northeast China, where cornfields stretch far and wide, Ma Zhihai demonstrated how to use stone axes and iron sickles, both traditional farming tools that are unfamiliar to many urbanites, to an attentive study tour group. The 62-year-old farmer from Changchun, Jilin Province, works as a part-time guide at a corn museum in his village. With a collection of nearly 10,000 items, the museum often caters to groups of local students. 'The oldest exhibits date back to dynasties 1,000 years ago,' Ma said, viewing the collections as a living textbook preserving China's farming culture. Ma's village is among China's many rural areas that are tapping into the potential of educational tours and opening a new gateway to rural revitalisation. Data shows that this booming market neared a scale of 147 billion yuan (US$20.6 billion) in 2023 and is projected to hit 242 billion yuan by 2026. Featuring wild landscapes, rich histories and folk cultures, China's rural areas have natural advantages for study field trips. 'Look, I caught a crab!' a girl exclaimed in a paddy field that is also used for crab breeding. Mud spots on her face marked her triumph and also her study results. The field in Zhoujiazhuang, a village in north China's Hebei Province, allows rice and crabs to coexist, while also serving as a dedicated base for educational tours. Students on the tour were seen planting rice seedlings and taking notes on the ideal water temperature for crab cultivation. 'It's so fun. I'm even thinking about raising a crab myself now,' one boy said. Attracted by such niche experiences, many of the tourists visiting Zhoujiazhuang are now willing to remain there longer, with overnight stays increasing notably. Ranging from brief snapshot visits to deeper immersion in a slow-paced way of life, rural tourism is gaining new vitality. This positive trend is also a result of the progress China's rural areas have made in their development of infrastructure and living environments. Today, over 90 per cent of administrative villages across the country are covered by the 5G network, and more than 300,000 village-level logistics facilities have been put into use. Thanks to a government push to stimulate consumption and the country's efforts to promote comprehensive rural revitalisation, a multitude of study tour campsites have sprouted across rural China. By giving full play to local tourism resources, they are emerging as a new form and key driver of rural revitalisation. In southwest China's Yunnan Province, a popular tourist destination, travelers are attracted by the opportunity to learn about ceramics, bamboo weaving and ethnic-minority embroidery handicrafts. Meanwhile, in Yudong Village in east China's Zhejiang Province, which is known for its folk arts, the likes of travelers, artists and farmers sit down together to paint picturesque scenery. Rural residents are deeply involved in this wave – and their incomes have increased markedly via sales of specialty foods and the running of guesthouses. In a village of Zhongyi Township, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, workshops on local dances, tea and desserts have created more than 200 jobs and spawned over 20 derivative products, like noodles and honey beverages, achieving a remarkable 43-per cent repurchase rate on multiple e-commerce platforms. Zhongyi was once among the poorest towns in Chongqing – its local average annual income was less than 10,000 yuan in 2019. Capitalising on the 'tourism-plus-educational-tour' model, Zhongyi recorded 189,000 tourist trips in 2024, generating 9.88 million yuan in revenue – with the average income of locals increasing by 32 per cent compared with 2020. 'We have designed 10 tours involving different routes, transforming Zhongyi into a live-scenario classroom that teaches about bees while representing traditional farming and folk customs,' said Liu Chengyong, an educational tour guide. Liu is a native of Zhongyi. In 2020, he returned to his hometown and joined a collective that organises study tours. He led other young entrepreneurs to tap into the market and design compelling educational programs. Now, the company can handle 1,300 visits each day. The transformation of Zhongyi has convinced more young people like Liu to return home and pitch in. Over the past three years, the town has attracted over 100 young entrepreneurs, giving rise to new jobs like 'countryside CEO' and study tour guide. Young returnees in rural areas also help address the lack of guides and breathe new life into rural revitalisation with fresh eyes and business philosophies. Ni Shuna, who was born in the 1990s, operates an ecological agricultural company based in a town under the administration of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang. Seeing the potential of educational tours, Ni's team designed activities such as fruit picking, orchard tours and starry-night camping, making her company a multi-functional leisure business that integrates catering, entertainment and education. 'Kids come here to increase their knowledge and broaden their horizons. It's worthwhile to see their eyes gleam with curiosity and gratification,' Ni said. – Xinhua
The Star
18 hours ago
- The Star
Laos works to boost tourism and elevate service quality as fuel for economic growth
VIENTIANE (Xinhua): Laos is enhancing its tourism sector by improving standards, upgrading infrastructure, and elevating service quality and visitor experiences, recognizing tourism as a vital driver of economic growth. Initiatives include expanding media promotion, promoting digital payments, and modernizing border checkpoints to attract more visitors and boost economic growth. The Lao government also plans to review visa policies and strengthen regional cooperation. These measures aim to position the Southeast Asian country as a more accessible, competitive, and sustainable tourism destination. Maikham, a hotel staff member in northern Laos' Luang Prabang province, emphasized the importance of continuously improving service standards to meet visitor satisfaction and attract tourists for repeat visits. Maikham said that the growing number of visitors not only boosts economic growth but also inspires local communities to enhance their services, maintain cleaner environments, and create more cultural experiences for tourists. She also expressed strong support for national efforts to attract more tourists and stressed the importance of community involvement in shaping a brighter future for the country's tourism sector. Laos is continuing its national tour guide training program to build a skilled and sufficient workforce that meets the growing demands of the tourism sector. Kanchana, a resident of Vientiane province, stressed enhancing the service mindset of the Lao people to welcome diverse tourists. She noted that local residents should be equipped with basic tourism knowledge to better assist visitors. Chanhphieng, a vendor in Luang Prabang, highlighted the need to offer more creative and diverse food, drinks, services, and activities to keep tourists engaged and encourage them to return. To attract more visitors, the Lao Ministry of Culture and Tourism is preparing for the second Visit Laos-China Year, with a focus on strengthening tourism promotion and attracting more Chinese tourists. In 2024, Laos welcomed 1,048,035 Chinese visitors, and in the first half of 2025, 602,103 Chinese tourists were recorded, indicating continued growth. Laos aims to attract 4.3 million international tourists in 2025, with expectations to generate over US$1 billion in revenue. - Xinhua
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Traditional puppet ban in Indonesian capital threatens buskers
In the sweltering streets of Jakarta, Indonesia, buskers carry towering, hollow puppets and pass around a bucket for donations. Now, they fear becoming outlaws. City authorities say they will crack down on use of the sacred ondel-ondel puppets, which can stand as tall as a truck, and they are drafting legislation to remove what they view as a street nuisance. Performances featuring the puppets – originally used by Jakarta's Betawi people to ward off evil spirits – will be allowed only at set events. The ban could leave many ondel-ondel buskers in Jakarta without a job. 'I am confused and anxious. I fear getting raided or even arrested. But what can I do? I need money to eat,' said Adi Sutisna, a 26-year-old Jakarta native who works as an ondel-ondel busker. A row of unfinished ondel-ondel puppets, large traditional figures from Jakarta's Betawi culture originally used to ward off evil spirits. Photo: AFP Adi, who only graduated from elementary school, has been working as an ondel-ondel busker for seven years, earning US$7 (RM29.70) on a good day to provide for his wife and five-year-old daughter. Ondel-ondel is the pride of the native Jakarta tribe, the Betawi people. Traditional performances were accompanied by instruments for festive and celebratory events, including weddings, circumcisions, and welcome ceremonies for honourable guests. Cyril Raoul Hakim, spokesman for Jakarta governor Pramono Anung, said that the ban was still being drafted with 'the preservation of Betawi culture' in mind and it would be put to legislators soon. 'We hope it will be passed not too long from now,' he said. For survival Over time, ondel-ondel have been increasingly used by buskers who sway the puppets to music from loudspeakers, seeking money on the roadside, at traffic lights, and in the alleyways of Jakarta's densely populated neighbourhoods. The city administration has long wanted to ban ondel-ondel busking, arguing that the practice sullies the dignity of the cultural icon. Street performers playing the traditional Indonesian bamboo instruments angklung as they walk past ondel-ondel puppets. Photo: AFP Bureaucrats believe roadside busking undermines the puppets' cultural significance. But many Jakartans rely on the entertainment to bring in much-needed cash. According to government data, the number of people living below the poverty line in metropolitan Jakarta – a megalopolis of 11 million people – was up from 362,000 in 2019 to 449,000 as of September 2024. The Central Statistics Bureau says the poverty line in Indonesia in 2025 is just over one dollar a day. 'The ondel-ondel is heavy; it is very hot inside,' said Adi. 'But I do it anyway because if I don't, my wife and my kid won't be able to eat.' For the right reasons The planned ban has left authentic ondel-ondel performers and makers torn about the preservation of their culture and the plight of the buskers. Performers such as Fadillah Akbar believe the cultural symbol must be revered, and should not be used to beg for money. 'The problem is that they beg on the street – that's a disturbance, and it bothers my soul,' said the 33-year-old ondel-ondel artist. He believes ondel-ondel must come in pairs, a woman and a man, and be accompanied by traditional live music instead of a recorded song playing on loudspeakers. Ondel-ondel performer Fadillah, who recently performed at Japan's Expo 2025 in Osaka, posing in front of his puppet warehouse. Photo: AFP 'Of course, I feel bad for the buskers, especially since I know many of them, but it is a cultural icon whose dignity must be upheld,' Fadillah said. The head of Jakarta's public order agency, Satriadi Gunawan, said ondel-ondel busking disturbed road users with loudspeakers and requests for money. 'In Betawi culture, upholding ondel-ondel's dignity is important, and now it is often used to beg for money,' he said. But some historians disagree, saying limiting the puppet presence on Jakarta's streets could hurt efforts to keep the dwindling tradition alive. 'Banning ondel-ondel busking in the name of culture signifies their lack of understanding for tradition,' said Jakarta-based historian J.J. Rizal. 'It proves that not only does the city government not understand culture, but it also endangers the preservation of art.' – AFP
