Puerto Rican towns shine at FITUR 2025, showcasing tourism innovation

Local campaigns highlight sustainability, cultural pride and regional collaboration.
Several Puerto Rican municipalities, including San Juan, Aguadilla and Ponce, as well as the Eastern-Central Technology Initiative Inc. (Inteco, in Spanish), are presenting tourism campaigns at the island’s 10,000-square-foot exhibit area at the 2025 International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid to attract global tourists.
San Juan launched its new campaign, “Déjate Llevar” (Let Yourself Go), which highlights its rich history, culture and attractions through sensory experiences. Visitors to the San Juan exhibit were invited to interactive activities, including salsa classes, “coquito” tastings, and photo opportunities with a replica of the iconic “garitas.”
A digital platform, ExploraSanJuan.com, which is available in nine languages, was unveiled to assist tourists in planning trips with virtual tours and a 24/7 bilingual hotline.
San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero emphasized the capital’s commitment to sustainable tourism, citing the record-breaking San Sebastián Street Festival, which generated nearly $100 million in economic impact.
“San Juan has everything it takes to be recognized as a world-class destination,” Romero said.
For the first time, Aguadilla presented its own stand at FITUR, under the slogan “Come to Aguadilla and Bring Your Chair,” promoting the municipality as a destination for relaxation, adventure and investment.
Mayor Julio Roldán highlighted Aguadilla’s natural beauty, gastronomic appeal and business opportunities, including incentives to attract international airlines to Rafael Hernández International Airport and expand tourism infrastructure.
Inteco, which represents 12 municipalities in the central-eastern region, launched Go2TheRegion.com, an interactive platform promoting activities such as kayaking in Gurabo, parachuting in Humacao and historical tours in Cayey.
William Miranda-Torres, Inteco’s president and mayor of Caguas, described the initiative as a collaborative effort that complements existing campaigns to promote domestic tourism, creating a unified regional identity to attract visitors.
“Each municipality has its own particularities,” he said, inviting visitors to explore the region’s diverse offerings, from nature reserves to cultural festivals.
The platform, which is accessible across devices, was designed to simplify travel planning, and highlights the region’s unique blend of history, culture and gastronomy.
Meanwhile, Ponce promoted its historic and cultural significance as Puerto Rico’s second major tourist destination, leveraging the increasing number of Spanish visitors arriving via direct Iberia flights to San Juan.
“Ponce’s participation in FITUR 2025 is an extraordinary opportunity to show the world the value of our city as a unique destination. We will continue to work tirelessly to position Ponce as a tourist and economic benchmark, demonstrating that in our city anything is possible. Ponce is ready to shine on the international stage,” said Mayor Marlese Sifre.
Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González leads Puerto Rico’s delegation at FITUR, which includes public and private sector organizations.
“We have no time to waste; we must attract investment, enter new markets and strengthen the ones we have if we want a Puerto Rico of opportunities, and tourism is a fundamental part of our economic development,” González said.
“FITUR is presented as a great opportunity to fulfill this purpose, the number of travel agents, reporters and international influencers are a window that I know our team at the Tourism Company will know how to maximize,” she added.
The Puerto Rico Tourism Co.’s executive director, Willianette Robles, said: “Puerto Rico’s proactive participation in an event of the magnitude of FITUR at an international level is of vital importance to maximize our projection as a focal tourist destination in the Caribbean region.
“In addition, this important tourism fair is a valuable platform to establish new negotiations and strengthen those already established with airlines, companies and other sectors that influence a significant evolution of the tourism industry and the economic development of Puerto Rico, in accordance with the objectives of this administration,” Robles noted.
Puerto Rico is represented at FITUR this year by various entities, including hotels such as ALMA Hotel, Residence Inn, San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, and Verdanza Hotel.
Other participating organizations include Aerostar, B Travel, Esto es Vida Properties, HB Tours, HB Travel, IHE, Isla Caribe, Isla Nena Biobay Boat Tours & Borikua Tours, Paulson Puerto Rico, RST, Snorkeling Puerto Rico, and ToroVerde.
Discover Puerto Rico, Invest Puerto Rico, and government entities and municipalities represented at the event include the municipalities of San Juan, Ponce, Caguas and Aguadilla, as well as Puerto Rico’s legislature.