Five Cities, One Shared Experience: Puerto Rico Awakens the Senses Around the World
Discover Puerto Rico’s new Awaken Your Senses campaign invites travelers to experience the Island through all five senses. As part of this concept, the organization hosted a series of sensory dinners in five cities, bringing journalists, content creators, and influencers closer to the essence of Puerto Rico through gastronomy, culture, and immersive experiences designed to spark interest in the destination.
Gastronomy served as the common thread throughout these experiences, with every detail carefully designed to engage touch, smell, sight, sound, and, of course, taste. Through specially curated menus, aromas, music, visuals, and textures, guests not only learned about Puerto Rico—they experienced it, despite being hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
The objective of these events was to demonstrate that Puerto Rico is much more than a destination to visit—it is an experience to be lived. Each dinner was designed to evoke emotion and create authentic connections with the Island, inspiring guests to discover firsthand its rich culinary, cultural, and natural offerings.
The series began on May 14 at Crafted Kitchen in Los Angeles, with an experience designed to transform attendees from passive observers into active participants in Puerto Rico’s story.
Chef Josiah Hernández, founder of Chef's Garden in Rincón, curated the evening’s menu. The event brought together 22 guests from media outlets, digital platforms, and strategic partners, including Travel + Leisure, Refinery29, People, and Amazon Music.
In addition to enjoying a Puerto Rico-inspired culinary experience, attendees learned about the destination’s latest tourism initiatives and engaged in conversations about future collaboration opportunities, including potential editorial features, familiarization trips, and content projects that would showcase Puerto Rico from an authentic and experiential perspective.
The second dinner took place on May 28 at Chef's Dinner Table in New York City. Once again, Chef Hernández led the culinary experience, which combined gastronomy, cocktails, storytelling, music, aromas, and visual elements inspired by Puerto Rican identity.
The event welcomed 26 representatives from media outlets, content creators, and partner brands, including JetBlue, the James Beard Foundation, Condé Nast Traveler, Fodor’s, and the TODAY Show.
Throughout the evening, guests actively participated in discussions, asked questions about the destination, and shared content organically across their digital platforms. The experience reinforced Puerto Rico’s positioning as a destination that can be experienced through all the senses, where gastronomy, music, landscapes, and storytelling come together to create a truly unique experience.
The third stop took place on June 10 in Madrid, in collaboration with ¡HOLA! España. The event coincided with Bad Bunny’s visit as part of his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, which helped generate additional interest in Puerto Rican culture among Spanish audiences and provided the perfect setting to showcase the Island’s authentic experiences.
The event welcomed 30 guests from ¡HOLA!, including writers, content creators, and entrepreneurs. The experience also positioned Puerto Rico as an ideal destination for solo female travelers and memorable getaways, a tourism segment that has experienced significant growth in recent years. From the moment they arrived, guests were transported to Puerto Rico through an ambiance inspired by El Yunque National Forest. The sound of the coquí, lighting that evoked the Island’s sunsets, and tropical décor featuring bananas and pineapples helped recreate the atmosphere of Puerto Rico.
The experience also incorporated a fashion component that complemented the Awaken Your Senses concept through touch and texture. Guests discovered the creativity and craftsmanship of Puerto Rico’s fashion industry through an exhibition featuring designs by Yayi Pérez, Stella Nolasco, Jean Cintrón, and Herman Nadal.
The highlight of the evening was an eight-course tasting menu developed in collaboration with the chefs of Frutos del Guacabo—Efrén Robles, Ricardo Romero, and Adrián Martínez—inspired by Puerto Rico’s six tourism regions.
Puerto Rican musician Jean Karlo Peré enhanced the experience with performances of beloved Puerto Rican songs, while a fragrance inspired by the aromas of El Yunque, created by the Puerto Rican brand Vida Aroma, added an additional sensory dimension to the evening.
Ron del Barrilito joined the dinner series with a selection of Puerto Rico-inspired cocktails, complementing the sensory journey through the Island's flavors.
The series concluded with similar experiences in Miami and London, expanding the campaign’s reach across key destination markets.
Through this series of sensory dinners, Discover Puerto Rico successfully brought the Awaken Your Senses concept to life, strengthening relationships with journalists, content creators, and influencers in key markets while positioning Puerto Rico as a destination that offers far more than traditional tourism.