San Juan, Sep 4 (EFE) – Large-scale music events, such as Bad Bunny’s current concert series, are opening the door to a new wave of tourism in Puerto Rico, according to Jorge L. Pérez, regional manager of Legends ASM Global, the company that operates the Coliseo de Puerto Rico and other venues.
“We have all the elements to take what happened this summer at the Coliseo and build a solid base for many positive things for Puerto Rico, also as an entertainment destination,” Pérez told EFE.
From concerts to global promotion
Pérez, who will take over as CEO of Discover Puerto Rico on Sept. 15, recently participated in the forum Puerto Rico as a global driver of music and entertainment, organized by GFR Media and Agencia EFE in San Juan.
The Legends ASM Global executive highlighted Puerto Rico’s renowned artists, skilled production crews, and quality venues as key elements to keep hosting “events of great magnitude.”
He also pointed to the island’s natural beauty, gastronomy, and culture as additional draws for tourists.
“(Bad Bunny’s concert series) creates the foundation for other artists to do similar things, for sporting events, maybe even festival-style events, with the kind of impact that brings foreigners to visit our island,” Pérez emphasized.
More tourists from new markets
Puerto Rico’s tourism sector is expanding. Until Bad Bunny’s historic summer residency, most visitors came from the United States, but authorities now aim to diversify.
“It has brought people from all over the world: Australia, Japan, Spain—many from Spain—Colombia, and Mexico. So it opens markets that traditionally might have looked to other neighboring islands,” Pérez explained.
In his view, travelers from many countries are now “seeing Puerto Rico as a real option, a place with a very rich culture.”
He added: “Today’s traveler is looking for unique experiences here in Puerto Rico. We have many unique experiences to offer, so this will definitely open the window to a sector that hasn’t traditionally come here for tourism, and that’s a positive moment.”
A cultural event of historic importance
About 250,000 people from around the world have visited Puerto Rico this summer to attend Bad Bunny’s concert series, which runs until mid-September.
“This is a concert, but it’s also an experience, and what it promotes is Puerto Rican culture. The value of that worldwide projection is incalculable. It has been, not only for the Coliseo but for Puerto Rico itself, the most important cultural and promotional event the island has ever had,” Pérez said. EFE