International Tourism Leaders Discuss Strategies with Discover Puerto Rico
As part of its strategic planning efforts, Discover Puerto Rico convened its Strategic Advisory Board earlier this month to assess the current tourism landscape and outline strategies to sustain the destination’s record pace of growth in the visitor economy.
The meeting brought together executives from organizations such as Hilton, Future Partners, Tourism Economics, Skift, and Afar, among others, who shared insights on key global challenges and opportunities facing the industry.
Discussions highlighted a weakening in U.S. consumer confidence, driven by limited progress in employment indicators, rising cost of living, and higher fuel prices—factors that are particularly impacting price-sensitive travelers. Additional challenges include global political uncertainty and reduced airline capacity across several markets.
Despite these headwinds, Puerto Rico has demonstrated notable resilience. According to U.S. Travel Association and STR, the Island recorded an 8% increase in lodging demand in December, compared to flat year-over-year performance in the U.S. (-0.1%). Booking pace through March also indicates sustained growth into the summer, a trend not consistently seen in other destinations. Additionally, international arrivals to Puerto Rico have increased, while declines are observed across the U.S. overall.
Looking ahead, some challenges are emerging. Airline operational adjustments could result in an estimated 2% reduction in seat capacity to Puerto Rico, according to Mead & Hunt. However, this impact is being mitigated by ongoing efforts from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to collaborate with airlines and expand routes from high-potential markets.
From a macroeconomic perspective, while concerns about a potential U.S. recession persist, factors such as safety perceptions in competing destinations, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and evolving traveler preferences continue to favor demand for domestic destinations like Puerto Rico. The Island remains competitively positioned, offering highly valued attributes including beaches, gastronomy, cultural experiences, and natural beauty.
Insights from the session, which extended over six hours, will inform the development of new strategies aimed at sustaining long-term growth in the local visitor economy.
In 2025, Puerto Rico surpassed its historical records for the fifth consecutive year across key indicators, including passenger arrivals, lodging demand, visitor volume, and employment generated by the visitor economy.