Bad Bunny’s historic Puerto Rico residency wasn’t just a run of shows—it was an economic engine. In this Wealth Wednesday episode of the Latin Wealth Podcast, we break down how a 30-show residency drew an estimated $700M+ impact to the island through travel, hospitality, retail, and small-vendor sales. We dig into who spent what, how long visitors stayed, and why the real number could be even higher once you factor in off-book activity (street merch, neighborhood businesses, ride shares, late-night food, and more).
What we cover
- Attendance mix: ~55% Puerto Rico residents, ~39% visitors from the U.S., ~6% international (DR, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, and more)
- Estimated spend: PR residents ~$126M, U.S. visitors ~$500M, other countries ~$80M
- Average stay: international visitors ~8.7 nights, PR residents traveling to San Juan ~1.5 nights
- Why beverage sales, restaurants, supermarkets, boutiques, and convenience stores all spiked
- The “unseen economy”: unofficial merch, flags, street vendors, clubs, and after-events
- Why hosting the residency in Puerto Rico (not Vegas) matters for local GDP and jobs
- Cultural ripple effects: renewed pride, repeat tourism, and the case for bringing talent home
• • What could come next: better tracking, future residencies, and long-term policy wins