![]() The island, which was originally priced to be accessible to locals, now has prices skyrocketing, to the extent that locals can no longer afford their own homes. ![]() The tourism industry has been responsible for the destruction of mangroves, wetlands, and other coastal areas - even the extinction of local fish! Puerto Rico is no stranger to resort construction, but now widespread projects have increased to meet the demand for rentals on Airbnb, and are adding to concerns about coastal gentrification and ‘touristification’. It’s true that tourism has always benefited Puerto Rico, especially due to the USA’s previous failures to properly aid the island after multiple hurricanes. This sudden influx of tourists was so large that some streets in San Juan had to be shut down due to overcrowding. Thousands of tourists explored the island without face masks and broke curfews. This rise in tourism therefore led to many Covid restrictions being broken. However, after the travel restrictions that were put in place during the pandemic, Puerto Rico has now been marketed simply as a cheap, accessible hot-spot for American travellers to build in and vacate to without a passport. The bioluminescent bay at La Parguera is something I will never forget. One side of the island is covered in El Yunque tropical rainforest, the middle has beautiful mountains, and the other side is covered in white sand beaches. Anyone who has been to Puerto Rico would agree that its beauty and unique culture is what makes the small island so special. My grandma was born and raised there, with many stories to tell, and my mother would stay there every summer with her cousins. Puerto Rico has always been a part of my childhood.
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