Puerto Rico Emerges as the Caribbean’s Most In-Demand Destination
On June 24, the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel at the Convention District hosted Discover Puerto Rico’s Annual OTA Convention. During the event, executives from Expedia, Booking.com, Priceline, Hopper, and Skyscanner presented the results of the campaigns conducted over the previous year to approximately 60 hoteliers from across Puerto Rico. They also shared insights on the destination’s performance and travel trends and delivered educational sessions on industry best practices and tools, including the use of artificial intelligence to develop more effective marketing campaigns.
According to official data from Hopper, between May 2025 and May 2026, “Puerto Rico outpaced every Caribbean destination in volume, with 42% more bookings than the Dominican Republic.” The Island also recorded the highest volume of hotel and flight bookings across the Caribbean, with growth of 15.7%. In addition, year-over-year hotel bookings increased by 18%, while the gross value of those bookings rose by 12%.
Expedia, meanwhile, reported that Puerto Rico’s campaigns reached more than 1.66 million travelers, representing a 10.8% year-over-year increase. Both search volume and traveler volume reached their highest levels over the past three reporting periods. Additionally, over the last seven months, Puerto Rico has outperformed other Caribbean destinations in booking momentum. The Island increased its share of searches from 31.4% to 32.5% during the campaign period compared to the same period the previous year.
Another notable figure shared by the OTAs was the return generated by the campaigns. According to preliminary data, Discover Puerto Rico can already report that these initiatives generated more than $100 million in revenue.
Expedia also shared during its presentation that “Puerto Rico’s campaigns are generating an impressive ROAS (return on advertising spend), with all campaigns achieving a ROAS above 161. This strong performance is contributing to year-over-year growth across all key metrics.”
According to Haydil Rivera, Director of Marketing Partnerships at Discover Puerto Rico, the success of the OTA campaigns is the result of the consistency and continuity of the advertising message that the DMO has maintained over the past eight years. She also acknowledged the growing interest in the Island generated by Bad Bunny’s artistic work throughout his career. In addition, Puerto Rico has hosted international events such as the World Baseball Classic and has experienced significant growth in segments such as gastronomy and mixology, two of today’s travelers’ primary interests.
In addition to learning about the campaign results, participating hoteliers attended educational sessions on industry best practices and tools to strengthen their own marketing efforts, including the use of artificial intelligence. The results presented during the Annual OTA Convention demonstrate the effectiveness of Discover Puerto Rico’s sustained national and international promotional strategy. The continued performance of these campaigns strengthens the destination’s competitiveness, drives growth across the tourism industry, and generates a positive impact on Puerto Rico’s economy.