Puerto Rico’s Comeback: How ‘Boricua’ Is Driving Tourism

25.03.2024 - 18:59 / forbes.com / Leah Chandler

Many tourists who visit Puerto Rico today are unfamiliar with the devastation inflicted upon the country in September, 2017 by Hurricane Maria, the 10^th most intense storm in Atlantic history and one that made a direct hit upon the island. In addition to damaging buildings, the storm devastated electrical grids and cellphone towers as heavy winds also uprooted trees and caused flooding that wiped out roads and farm crops. Full recovery has been a lengthy process and in some respects is ongoing but has been aided by the resilience of the Puerto Rican people.

Against the backdrop of hurricane damage, Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s official tourism body initially faced challenges related to negative media surrounding the hurricane. The agency found that 90% of the media had been negative and that half of travelers exposed to media coverage were left with a less favorable view of the island. In response, in 2018, Discover Puerto Rico launched the #CoverTheProgress campaign which encouraged media to focus on fair and future-oriented coverage while showing images from tourism destinations. The result of the campaign, which featured travel influencers including The Points Guy (Brian Kelly) and Kyle Huber, was improvement in perception of the island and a substantial increase in vacation bookings.

The #CoverTheProgress campaign generated 14.5 million media impressions and laid the groundwork for three back-to-back years. Subsequently, Discover Puerto Rico’s “Live Boricua” campaign which focuses on unique aspects of the Puerto Rican culture and way of life has helped keep up the momentum. The latest phase of the campaign was launched this month and is produced by a local director using local talent for storytelling while spotlighting locations across the island. The campaign delves deeper into what it means to “Live Boricua.”

Leah Chandler, Chief Marketing Officer of Discover Puerto Rico notes the genesis of the campaign emanated from wanting to expose travelers to authentic experiences. “The ‘Live Boricua’ campaign was born in 2022 from a collaboration between Discover Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican tastemakers and the local tourism industry to invite travelers to immerse themselves in authentic Puerto Rican experiences alongside locals,” she says, “It aimed to engage visitors through storytelling, showcasing the Island's unique culture, heritage, and spirit, making it an authentic expression for promoting tourism and fostering meaningful connections between visitors and locals, highlighting Puerto Rico as a vibrant destination rich in diverse experiences and warm hospitality.”

“Boricua’s” direct translation refers to being a person from Puerto Rico by birth or descent and is positioned as a state of mind,