Bad Bunny brings tourism surge to Puerto Rico
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The ethos is core to his 30-show concert series in San Juan which, after nine performaces exclusive to residents, will open up to fans from elsewhere — what many Boricuas, as Puerto Ricans are known, are hoping will serve as an exercise in responsible tourism.
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The organization conservatively estimates the residency will bring in some $200 million to Puerto Rico over the approximately three-month run, which falls during the typically less-trafficked summer months.
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Azael Ayala works at a bar in one of San Juan's popular nightlife zones, telling AFP that business was already booming even though the residency was only in its first weekend.
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It's 'completely changed,' the 29-year-old said, as crowds buzzed about La Placita where some bars were slinging Bad Bunny-themed cocktails.
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'We're thrilled,' Ayala said. 'The tips are through the roof.'
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The fact that people are coming from across the globe to see Bad Bunny 'is a source of pride for Puerto Rico, too,' he added.
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Arely Ortiz, a 23-year-old student from Los Angeles, couldn't score a ticket to a show — but said Bad Bunny was still the draw that prompted her to book her first trip to Puerto Rico.
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'I really love how outspoken he is about his community,' she said. 'Just seeing him, that he can get so far, and he's Latino, it encourages more Latinos to be able to go for what they want.'
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'He has for sure empowered Latinos, like 100 percent.'
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Concerns around gentrification, displacement and cultural dilution have magnified on the archipelago beloved for stunning beaches with turquoise waters — especially as it's become a hotspot for luxury development, short-term rentals and so-called 'digital nomads' who work their laptop jobs remotely while travelling the world.
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Visiting foreigners sample the island's beauty but are shielded from the struggle, say many locals who are coping with a chronic economic crisis exacerbated by natural disasters, as rents soar and massive blackouts are routine.
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