My relationship with the Spanish language has been shaped by music as much as textbooks. After picking up the language at uni and bouncing between exchanges in Spain and Argentina, my Spanish learning journey has continued primarily through the sounds of Argentine rock legends like Charly García, Soda Stereo, and Fito Páez to more urban artists like Bad Bunny and Rosalía. Something that stands out everytime I pop these songs on through my airpods or the office Sonos, is how Hispanic artists have this incredible way of infusing their culture seamlessly into every track they drop.

When Bad Bunny released his sixth studio album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOtoS” (I Should’ve Taken More Photos), he didn’t just drop an album – he created a cultural moment that’s got me thinking about how music shapes culture, especially tourism, in ways my marketing brain can’t ignore.

The Evolution of Latin Music (And Why It Matters)

Before I found myself sipping Fernet Cola in Buenos Aires, I spent time studying a subject at UTS named Contemporary Latino Americas. It was here where I first started understanding how deeply music and culture intersect. From salsa to mambo, bossa nova to cumbia – these genres aren’t just Latin grooves, they’re living history of migration and cultural fusion. Fast forward to 2025, and we’re seeing this evolution continue with reggaeton, dembow, and Brazilian funk.
Just look at how Spanish-speaking artists are crushing it globally: Rosalía flipping flamenco on its head with El Mal Querer and MOTOMAMI, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso’s mind-bending Tiny Desk concert or Nathy Peluso’s hard-hitting album Grasa. And now, Bad Bunny’s latest album isn’t just showcasing Puerto Rican culture – it’s creating a movement that’s reshaping how people connect with destinations through music.

Viral Nostalgia: When Social Media Gets in the Feels

The internet’s having a proper moment with this album, and it’s not your typical dance challenge trending for five minutes. People are sharing deeply personal photos of loved ones who’ve passed, discussing their family’s migration stories, and posting heart-warming videos of their Latin parents and grandparents

recognising sampled salsa classics from the 70s. The DTMF trend has even inspired a flood of travel nostalgia, with yours truly jumping on the trend and sharing a reel full of nostalgia from a previous Japan trip – proving how one artist’s love letter to his culture can inspire everyone to get nostalgic with their own memories.

Even brands are getting amongst it – McDonald’s Ecuador served up a clever parody of the album cover that had social media eating it up (pun very much intended). Meanwhile, Adidas is living its best life with Bad Bunny decked out in their gear in the album’s visuals.

The Tourism Impact of Cultural Authenticity

Here’s where it gets interesting for us tourism tragics: Instead of announcing a world tour, Bad Bunny’s dropped a massive 30-show residency at San Juan’s Coliseo de Puerto Rico titled “No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí” (“I Don’t Want to Leave Here”). But here’s the kicker – the first nine shows were exclusively for locals, with tickets sold at physical locations across the island. The strategy paid off spectacularly – locals snapped up all tickets on day one, and the remaining 21 shows sold out to the general public in under four hours. It’s a power move that put Puerto Ricans first while still creating a tourism drawcard that’s turned the island into the hottest ticket in town. This isn’t just a concert series – it’s become the excuse everyone needed to book that trip to Puerto Rico.

This is a striking example of how cultural moments can transform into tourism gold. For our work with tourism boards like Japan National Tourism Organization, Tahiti Tourisme, and Vanuatu Tourism Board, it highlights the power of strategic experiences that people genuinely want to travel for. When cultural authenticity drives tourism, you’re not just marketing a destination – you’re inviting people to be part of a story they want to experience firsthand.

Culture That Clicks

The social media response to this album is teaching us some major lessons about modern tourism marketing:

• Real Stories Hit Different: Those viral videos of grandparents recognising old salsa samples? That’s the kind of authentic content money can’t buy. It’s reminding us that the best tourism content often comes straight from the heart.
• Cultural Flex: Bad Bunny crashed The Tonight Show with a traditional parranda (basically a Puerto Rican surprise party with music), and the internet lost it. It shows how traditional culture can absolutely pop off on mainstream platforms.
• The Power of Place: When Zane Lowe flew to Puerto Rico for an Apple Music interview without even hearing the album, it wasn’t just about the music – it was about experiencing the culture in its natural habitat. The interview revealed another layer of Bad Bunny’s commitment to his roots: he collaborated with young local musicians and students from Puerto Rico’s public music school, Escuela Libre de Música, many aged just 20-22, to create tracks like BAILE INoLVIDABLE that he’d been envisioning for years. It’s this kind of grassroots collaboration that turns tourism content from good to unforgettable.

Lessons for Destination Marketing

For destinations like Tahiti, Vanuatu, and Japan, Bad Bunny’s social media takeover is serving major inspiration:

• Authenticity is the new luxury: When Bad Bunny gets political with tracks like Lo que le pasó a Hawaii (What happened to Hawaii), it reminds us that real conversations about politics, culture and heritage hit harder than any polished marketing campaign that shies away from reality.
• Community first, always: The way Puerto Ricans and Bad Bunny alike are amplifying these cultural moments on social media shows how local pride can become global content.
• Innovation with roots: Bad Bunny’s fresh spin on traditional Puerto Rican music proves you can update cultural experiences without losing their soul. The album’s first track NUEVAYoL purposely reworks a salsa classic and other tracks like VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR interpolate reggaton hits from the early 2000s to give these songs new life.

The Future is Cultural

What Bad Bunny’s doing isn’t just a moment – it’s a masterclass in how cultural authenticity can drive both social engagement and tourism interest. He’s showing us that in 2025, the most shareable content isn’t about perfect aesthetics or filtered reality – it’s about real cultural connections that make people feel something. Honestly, watching the album unfold has me ready to book flights to Puerto Rico to experience the residency firsthand – and I know I’m not alone (the sold out residency is proof).

As a music fan, I’m all too familiar with planning trips around artists who rarely make it to our shores. In 2023, I found myself at Lollapalooza Argentina specifically to catch Rosalía’s set – an artist we might never see tour down under. It’s a growing trend we’re seeing more and more, with people travelling across the globe (or at least their own country) for cultural moments like Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury. These aren’t just shows anymore – they’re travel destinations in themselves.

Creating Cultural Compass Moments

For destinations looking to make their mark, authentic cultural experiences aren’t just content opportunities – they’re invitations for people to pack their bags and live something real. Music especially has this unique power to connect people to places in ways traditional marketing never could. Just like how Latin music has shaped my own travel choices, these cultural touchstones become our compass for authentic experiences – and isn’t that what great tourism marketing is all about?

By Kate McGregor, Social Media and Digital Manager at Circul8