Discover Puerto Rico: Airline bookings to island growing in 1st half of ’25
The tourism forecast also projects an increase in short-term rental stays.
Initial projections for 2025 anticipate a 14% increase in air passenger bookings in the first quarter and a 9% rise in the second quarter, Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization, announced.
Similarly, short-term rental reservations are growing at a faster pace. Data from the AirDNA platform as of Feb. 9 show that bookings for January through March are 17% higher than in the same period in 2023. For April through June, the increase reaches 34%.
“If we look at rentals, both periods are well above 2024, which indicates a good start not only for rentals but also for the combined accommodation segment in the first half of 2025,” said Laressa Morales, director of Research and Analysis at Discover Puerto Rico, during the organization’s presentation of its Industry Update Report.
However, these gains are not reflected in the hotel sector, which, as of Feb. 9, showed reservation rates similar to or lower than those recorded last year, according to an analysis using data from Travel Click, AirDNA and ForwardKeys.
Discover Puerto Rico provided updates on its recent marketing campaigns, including the “Love Letter from Puerto Rico” video featuring actor Amaury Nolasco, which has generated more than 246 million impressions. In addition to promoting travel to the island, the campaign encourages conservation efforts, appreciation of Puerto Rican culture and respect for local communities.
The organization also highlighted promotional partnerships with National Geographic and Sojern, along with extensive media coverage from Travel + Leisure, AFAR, Thrillist, USA Today, Condé Nast and The New York Times.
Discover Puerto Rico has also integrated artificial intelligence features on its website through a collaboration with Mindtrip and relaunched its bioluminescent bays landing page, simulating the natural fluorescence visitors experience in these.
“It is a way to highlight our beloved bays attractively and interactively while promoting responsible tourism and educating visitors about the importance of conservation efforts for these fragile ecosystems,” said Glorianna Yamín, vice president of marketing at Discover Puerto Rico.
Similarly, short-term rentals are being booked at a faster pace. Data extracted from the AirDNA platform as of Feb. 9 show that 17% more reservations were accumulated between January and March than in the same period in 2023. The second quarter (April – June) saw an increase of 34%.
“If we look at rentals, both periods are well above 2024, which indicates a good start not only for rentals but also for the combined accommodation segment in the first half of 2025,” said Laressa Morales, director of Research and Analysis at Discover Puerto Rico, during the organization’s presentation of its Industry Update Report.
However, these increases are not repeated in the hotel sector, which, as of Feb. 9, showed a similar or lower reservation rate than last year, according to the analysis based on data from Travel Click, AirDNA, and Foward Keys.
Discover Puerto Rico informed the tourism industry about the marketing performance of its initiatives in the past months.
Among the initiatives, “Love Letter from Puerto Rico” stood out. This promotional video starring movie star Amaury Nolasco generated more than 246 million impressions. In addition to promoting visits, the initiative highlights the importance of conserving nature, appreciating Puerto Rican culture, and respecting local communities.
Discover Puerto Rico’s Marketing Vice-President, Glorianna Yamín, also noted promotions with National Geographic and Sojern and extensive coverage of the destination by media such as Travel and Leisure, AFAR, Thrillist, USA Today, Conde Nast, and The New York Times.
Likewise, she highlighted a partnership with Mindtrip that allowed the integration of artificial intelligence on the Discover Puerto Rico website and the relaunch of the bioluminescent bays landing page, which simulates the fluorescence that visitors perceive when they visit these unique natural wonders.
“It is a way to highlight our beloved bays attractively and interactively while promoting responsible tourism and educating visitors about the importance of conservation efforts for these fragile ecosystems,” said Yamín.
