The latest Johnny Depp film, The Rum Diary, shot entirely in Puerto Rico over 49 days, generated nearly $20 million in economic activity on the island, 200 direct jobs and more than 6,000 hotel room nights.

Johnny Depp also had high praise for the island and brought his wife, Vanessa Paradis, and children to Puerto Rico during filming, confirming its identity as a celebrity hotspot.

Since 1999, more than 60 productions have taken advantage of incentive programs in Puerto Rico for film and creative services, including most recently Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, also starring Johnny Depp.

Barry Waldman, executive producer of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Bad Boys II said: “The local crew, people and incentives added up to a great experience.

“I hope to one day shoot an entire movie in Puerto Rico.”

Scenes from The Men Who Stare at Goats starring George Clooney were also shot in Puerto Rico in 2008 influencing the perception of Jim Holt, executive producer on the project.

“People should look at Puerto Rico as more than just an island location,” he explained.

“The locations, people and bilingual crew are terrific.”

Puerto Rico is hoping to further boost its location appeal with expanded film law.

The change comes at an opportune time given cutbacks in the film incentive offers of some US states with the new law expanding the definition of eligible projects to include documentaries, film shorts, music videos and the filming of live shows, among others and includes a 20 percent tax credit for non-resident talent.

Actors may take the taxes paid in Puerto Rico as a foreign tax credit on their US tax return.

For more information on filming in Puerto Rico, visit the official website. Breaking Travel News was also in Puerto Rico earlier this year, check out our thoughts here.