Discover Puerto Rico: Record year fuels island’s travel industry growth
On National Plan for Vacation Day, Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization (DMO), is celebrating the success of Puerto Rico’s travel and tourism sector throughout 2023.
The island saw unprecedented numbers of incoming travelers, employment and revenue in the local tourism industry.
Building on the success of Discover Puerto Rico’s value-based marketing campaign, “Live Boricua,” 2023 set new records in marketing and tourism. The DMO was named to Fast Company magazine’s annual World’s Most Innovative Companies list. Innovative marketing, along with the archipelago’s natural beauty and warm spirit, contributed to the following achievements:
- More than 6.1 million passengers arrived at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, an 18.6% increase from 2022 (Source: Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC).
- Tourism revenue reached an all-time high of $9.8 billion, according to the latest forecast from Tourism Economics, a 13% increase from 2022.
- Contracted a record $180 million in meeting and convention business, surpassing the previous year by 20% and pre-pandemic levels by 49%.
- Record employment in travel and tourism-related jobs with more than 96,700 individuals contributing to the sector. The leisure and hospitality sector saw a 21% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics).
- A 7% increase in lodging demand and a 14% increase in lodging revenue (Source: STR/AirDNA).
- A 98% satisfaction score, indicating high visitor satisfaction.
Discover Puerto Rico said it remains committed to driving travel and tourism metrics to new heights.
“Puerto Rico’s travel sector has continued to break barriers and set new records in 2023,” said Brad Dean, chief executive officer of Discover Puerto Rico. “I’m thrilled with our team’s achievements that consistently leverage data, thought leadership and partnerships with key stakeholders in the industry and across Puerto Rico to further build the Island’s consideration for leisure, business and event travel.”
The DMO has developed impactful multi-channel marketing campaigns since its inception, aiming to position the island as a “premier multifaceted destination for all travel needs.”
“We set new standards of excellence with innovative marketing campaigns in 2023,” said Leah Chandler, chief marketing officer at Discover Puerto Rico. “We’re proud to see the value in campaigns such as ‘Live Boricua’ and ‘No Passport, No Problem’ translate into recognition from business leaders like Fast Company but, more importantly, equate to tourism growth and revenue for Puerto Rico.”
In 2023, Discover Puerto Rico-led marketing efforts included:
- “No Passport, No Problem” – Launched in November to increase awareness of the ease of traveling to the island, as one-third of Americans were unaware that Puerto Rico doesn’t require a passport (Source: Future Partners). Driven by consumer insights, the positioning came to life through earned media and social media, and it will continue to be a focus in the coming year as part of the “Live Boricua” marketing campaign. “Live Boricua,” which launched in May 2022, continues to highlight local culture and emphasize values-based marketing by showcasing its diverse people and culture. The campaign encourages travelers to embrace the “spirit, passion and cultural uniqueness of the Island’s people.”
- La Island Digital Education Academy (La IDEA) – Discover Puerto Rico helped more than 5,000 small and medium-sized businesses improve their digital profiles on platforms used by travelers visiting Puerto Rico. La IDEA initiative provided free, personalized digital marketing training to Puerto Rican entrepreneurs. It offered digital photography services to 790 businesses, updated the Google Street View of the main streets in Vieques and Culebra, and uploaded a compilation of 360-degree photographs of major beaches and points of interest in these island-municipalities. The last major update of Puerto Rico images on Google’s Street View platform was in 2016.
