Puerto Rico cashes in on Bad Bunny as thousands flock to the island for his concerts

VEGA BAJA, Puerto Rico -- Tourists slipped into borrowed red polyester vests from the Puerto Rico supermarket where Bad Bunny once worked, grinning as they posed for photographs in the superstar’s old uniform.

They listened intently as his former boss recalled how he loved classic salsa songs. "He always liked going to the parking lot to gather the shopping carts because it seemed that he felt free there and would sing,” said Delza Vélez, the head of HR at Econo, the supermarket.

In 2016, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio quit that job, leaving Vélez a note. Two years later, he launched his first album — and the singer known as Bad Bunny stepped into stardom.

This summer, thousands descended on Puerto Rico, where the singer's concert residency in San Juan, running from mid-June through mid-September, has single-handedly boosted the island's fragile economy. The prodigious son has elevated the global profile of the U.S. territory, singing about Puerto Rico’s turmoil and identity.

Visitors come not only to see him but to explore his island. Thousands have stood in line for days or waited hours online to snag a ticket for the reggaetón singer and rapper, one of the most streamed artists in the world.

A father and son with the same name, Eddie Villanueva, traveled from Switzerland for a full Bad Bunny experience on a $5,000 budget, including $40 tickets for a tour of the star's hometown of Vega Baja.

“Delighted. Incredible,” said the younger Villanueva, 23.

Nearly three dozen hotels are participating in Bad Bunny packages, which include the concert and which have generated nearly $200 million, according to Discover Puerto Rico, an organization that promotes the island.

More than 48,000 nights have been booked at hotels at a time when visits dwindle ahead of the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. Concert organizers say 25,000 packages were sold in just one day.

Hotel reservations were 10% higher on July 27, compared with the same date last year. Short-term rentals are up 42% this month, compared to last August, and 61% higher for September. With up to hundreds of dollars per concert ticket, the show is expected to attract about 600,000 people.

Nearly 7% more flights were booked between July and September from the U.S. mainland to Puerto Rico’s main international airport than during the same period last year, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

The windfall comes as Puerto Rico promoters focus more on its culture, rather than beaches.

“We can argue that they’re the prettiest, but they’re beaches. What makes us unique is the culture. No one can steal that,” said Ricardo Cortés Chico, a spokesperson for Discover Puerto Rico.

In Bad Bunny’s hometown, tourists visit his former high school, the supermarket where he worked — even the church where he served as an altar boy.

On a recent morning, the Villanuevas posed in front of a Bad Bunny mural on an agricultural supply store that sells harnesses for horses and feed for fighting cocks. For $20, they bought two caps emblazoned with “PR” for Puerto Rico, drawing a wide smile from the cashier.

G8, a nonprofit that helps impoverished communities in the capital of San Juan, launched a $25 guided bike tour called “I should have biked more” — a play on Bad Bunny’s newest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” which translates to “I should have taken more photos.”

Another nonprofit, Acción Valerosa, partnered with the music group Los Pleneros de la Cresta, which plays at Bad Bunny’s concerts, to create the “Café con Ron” tour, named after one of his songs.

They ferry tourists to Ciales, a coffee-producing town nestled in the central mountains. The tour includes a workshop on Puerto Rico’s traditional music, and the money generated will be used to convert a former casino into a community center.

Even some university students are cashing in on Bad Bunny.

Longtime fan Julietta Dasilva is flying in from Denver for the Aug. 29 concert. She said she booked a $45 tour led by a local student instead of any of the commercial tours.

“I want to do it right,” she said.

Traditional tourism in Puerto Rico meant a hike at El Yunque tropical forest, a visit to Old San Juan and a splash at a nearby beach. Now, people flying in for the concert drive to far-flung towns such as Cabo Rojo, the southernmost point of Puerto Rico, to experience more of the island.

“Thanks to Bad Bunny, a lot of our landmarks have become known,” said Ángel Rodríguez, owner of the Boquemar hotel in Cabo Rojo.

The hotel — located next to a famous dock emblazoned with Puerto Rico’s flag that was featured in a Bad Bunny video — has seen 7% more customers this summer, Rodríguez said.

Visitors have also asked him where they could see Puerto Rican crested toad, the island’s sole indigenous toad species that was featured in a video as part of Bad Bunny’s newest album. Rodríguez said he had to disappoint them — the creature is not easily spotted.

Heidy Crespo, who leads tours of Bad Bunny’s hometown, said dozens of people have signed up, with officials noting they have generated some $1,000 in revenue.

“I never thought people would want to see where he worked,” she said. “But I love it. I love seeing people’s eyes shine.”

Vicky Galvez flew to San Juan from Las Vegas with two friends in early August, for the first round of concerts open to fans from outside the island. The 39-year-old hairstylist said the trip was much more than just a music event and that she felt good about the roughly $2,450 she spent.

Around town, Galvez and her friends saw murals of the singer and lines outside eateries made popular by Bad Bunny. They ate at the cozy, family-owned La Casita Blanca, where the two-hour wait was worth it to support the restaurant, she said.

Their server told them that it has been “complete bananas” since Bad Bunny was photographed eating there. “I did shop local, and that was great,” Galvez said.

Wilson Santiago Burgos, founder of the travel platform, “Mochileando,” said he had doubted the government would hop on the Bad Bunny train because the artist has heavily criticized the island’s two main political parties.

But the opposite happened — tours were launched, food and drinks were named after Bad Bunny's songs, and small businesses sold clothes and other handmade goods sought by tourists.

“People are starting to consume, to produce things strictly from Puerto Rico,” Santiago Burgos said.

The message is attractive, he added. Bad Bunny tells people who come to see him: "This is the homeland that I love … I invite you to get to know it.”

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Yamat reported from Las Vegas.