Vacationers from the mainland United States, South America and Spain are driving a large increase in tourism income on the breathtaking “Island of Enchantment,” Puerto Rico.
In accordance with Luis Munoz Marin Worldwide Airport (SJU) managers, solely in Could, 1.136 million guests handed by means of customs, a rise of 4.3 % in comparison with the identical month in 2023.
These figures have been made attainable due to a 15.5 % leap in worldwide arrivals.
This 12 months, the island has seen 5.433 million passengers, a ten % improve from final 12 months.
A part of this success is attributed to the launch of recent worldwide routes by low-cost airways and a few aggressive advertising campaigns.
Some readers could not keep in mind the devastation inflicted on the island by Hurricane Maria in 2017, the tenth strongest storm within the Atlantic Ocean since we now have information.
Within the aftermath, Puerto Rico not solely suffered the results of this environmental tragedy but in addition in depth media protection targeted on the destruction alone. It created a unfavourable affect on vacationers’ perceptions of the island so resort and flight bookings sank.
Discover Puerto Rico company discovered that over an extended interval, 90% of media protection was unfavourable.
In response, the company launched the #CoverTheProgress marketing campaign to indicate the island’s restoration course of and the locations that weren’t affected.
The outcomes have been fairly optimistic and the island began to see a major improve in bookings.
Following this advertising success, Uncover Puerto Rico, along with Puerto Rican tastemakers and native tourism businessmen, launched a second marketing campaign named “Reside Boricua” (Reside as a Puerto Rican), which was targeted on selling Puerto Rican way of life and folks’s wealthy tradition.
The principle aim of this initiative was to supply guests with an immersive expertise.
“It aimed to interact guests by means of storytelling, showcasing the island’s distinctive tradition, heritage, and spirit, making it an genuine expression for selling tourism and fostering significant connections between guests and locals, highlighting Puerto Rico as a vibrant vacation spot wealthy in numerous experiences and heat hospitality,” mentioned Leah Chandler, Chief Advertising Officer of Uncover Puerto Rico.
In accordance with tourism consultants, the most recent marketing campaign has performed a key position in driving worldwide and mainland tourism to the island.
Final 12 months, Puerto Rico broke a document variety of vacationers and the employment fee spiked due to the 6.1 million passengers who landed at Luis Muñoz Marín Worldwide Airport.
For the very first time in historical past, the sector collected a staggering $9.8 billion in tourism income, 13% greater than within the 12 months earlier than.
Just like different Caribbean locations, Puerto Rico’s tourism trade doesn’t present indicators of slowing down within the subsequent few years.