Puerto Rico Named Among National Geographic's 25 Best Destinations for 2027
The magazine highlights the island's cultural heritage, music, food and people in its annual Best of the World list published on Oct. 20.
File photoThe short version
- El Nuevo Día reported that Puerto Rico is one of 25 global destinations recommended by National Geographic for 2027 in its Best of the World selection
- The magazine published on Oct. 20 underscores the influence of African, Taíno and Spanish roots in Puerto Rican music, gastronomy and architecture according to El Nuevo Día
- El Nuevo Día reports Discover Puerto Rico projects tourist spending will exceed $9 billion in 2026 after 8.1 million visitors in 2025
- Cruise passengers reached a record 1.9 million in fiscal year 2025-2026, a 43 percent increase, El Nuevo Día stated
Recognition for Culture and Heritage
Puerto Rico is included among the 25 destinations around the world that National Geographic recommends visiting in 2027 as part of its annual Best of the World selection. El Nuevo Día reported that the list highlights places where culture, nature and new experiences provide reasons to travel.
In its review dedicated to the island and published on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the magazine notes that beyond its beaches and natural landscapes, one of its main attractions are its inhabitants and the traditions that form part of its cultural identity, El Nuevo Día reported. The publication highlights the influence of African, indigenous Taíno and Spanish roots in Puerto Rican music, gastronomy and architecture.
National Geographic recommends visiting Loíza to learn about Afro-Boricua roots through bomba and plena, dance and percussion workshops and the Festival de Santiago Apóstol. It also suggests the kiosks in Piñones, the Ruta Taína, the Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes in Ponce and the petroglyphs in Utuado and Jayuya, according to El Nuevo Día. In Old San Juan it emphasizes the historic fortifications of San Felipe del Morro and San Cristóbal as well as the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián held for four days in January.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Ponce travel guide
Tourism Growth and Economic Impact
The National Geographic recognition arrives at a time of growth and diversification of tourism activity in Puerto Rico. Discover Puerto Rico projects that tourist spending will surpass $9 billion in 2026, above the $8.2 billion estimated for 2025 when the island received 8.1 million visitors, El Nuevo Día reported.
The cruise segment also recorded historic figures. Fiscal year 2025-2026 closed with more than 1.9 million passengers, an approximate 43 percent increase from the previous period. For the next high season, which has already begun and extends until April 2027, nearly 1.3 million passengers and 541 port calls in San Juan are projected, according to El Nuevo Día.
Short-term rentals have consolidated as another important component of the tourism economy. A study by Estudios Técnicos for the Viva Puerto Rico Short-Term Rental Alliance estimates that the segment generates an economic impact of more than $6 billion on the island and counted nearly 33,000 properties, El Nuevo Día reported. According to Discover Puerto Rico, as of July 2026 the short-term rental supply reached 4.18 million available nights, a 6.4 percent increase from the same period the previous year.
Where the sources differ
Both El Nuevo Día and El Vocero report that National Geographic named Puerto Rico one of 25 recommended destinations for 2027 in its Best of the World list. The two outlets agree on the Oct. 20 publication date and the emphasis on Puerto Rican culture. El Nuevo Día provides extensive additional details on specific sites recommended, tourism spending projections, cruise passenger numbers, short-term rental economic impact and statistics that El Vocero's partial reports do not include. The two El Vocero links contain identical partial content focused on the journalist's biography rather than the story itself.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not specify the other 24 destinations selected by National Geographic for 2027 or their order in the list. They provide no details on how the list was compiled or who at National Geographic wrote the Puerto Rico entry. The articles do not address any potential challenges facing the tourism sector or how the recognition might affect visitor numbers beyond existing projections.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Puerto Rico entre los 25 destinos recomendados por National Geographic para 2027
- Reporting National Geographic destaca a Puerto Rico entre los destinos para viajar en el 2027
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día supplied the primary detailed reporting on the National Geographic selection, the recommended Puerto Rico sites, cultural highlights and all tourism statistics cited. El Vocero published two nearly identical partial articles that added no unique facts beyond confirming the recognition. All figures on spending, visitors, cruises and short-term rentals rest solely on data from Discover Puerto Rico and Estudios Técnicos as presented by El Nuevo Día.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.