Puerto Rico Looks to Airbnb to Help Drive Tourism Recovery

By Dana Niland

CJ Contributor

Puerto Rico is looking to Airbnb to help drive its tourism recovery.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello met this week in San Francisco with Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, who together announced a new agreement on an initiative to attract visitors to the island.

As part of the agreement, Airbnb launched its new “Experiences” platform on the island, aiming to get visitors to enjoy the “more authentic” Puerto Rico.

“Puerto Rico has long been one of the most important destinations for travelers that are looking to experience culture, paradisiacal landscapes and incredible hospitality,” Chesky said. “Its determination in the face of such daunting challenges has surprised and inspired us, and we look forward to bringing the magic of the island to more travelers from around the world and to empower businesses and people in Puerto Rico to build and even stronger travel industry than they had before the hurricane.”

Airbnb and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company will also launch a marketing campaign to promote the unique experiences on the island.

“The future looks promising for the tourism sector of Puerto Rico,” Rossello said. “By taking advantage of the power of the Airbnb platform, it gives us the opportunity to increase the visibility of the island as a travel destination, making it more sustainable and diverse. At the same time, it allows more residents to benefit from the economic opportunities offered by tourism.”