Bad Bunny's residency boosts Puerto Rico's economy during slow season

Puerto Rico's economy is getting a bump from Bad Bunny.

- Shefali S. Kulkarni

The award-winning Puerto Rican rapper's three-month, 30-show concert series in San Juan is spurring a fan-fuelled surge in the island's economy at a time of year when tourism is usually slow.

During the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June to November, tourism typically drops by 25 to 45 per cent, and lodging prices fall by as much as half, according to the tourism agency Discover Puerto Rico. Tourism accounts for about 7 per cent of Puerto Rico's US$114 billion (S$146 billion) economy.

Bad Bunny's residency, which ended on Sept 14, was expected to draw about 600,000 attendees and have a direct economic impact of US$250 million, according to Moody's Analytics. It estimated that total spending, which includes purchases not directly related to shows, will top out at US$400 million.

Bad Bunny's stay is ahead of an eight-month world tour beginning in December and comes on the heels of global mega-tours that have become a playbook for chart-topping artistes. Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour grossed more than US$2 billion in ticket sales, while Beyonce's Cowboy Carter Tour brought in US$407 million. Bad Bunny's 2024 world tour took in US$208 million.