As the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria approaches, Puerto Rico’s tourism industry calls for recognition of the positive milestones it’s reached since the hurricane laid waste to much of its infrastructure.

“Six months after Hurricane Maria hit, more than 50 percent of travelers said media coverage negatively impacted their view of Puerto Rico as a destination and we’re hoping to change that as the one-year anniversary approaches. Puerto Rico declared itself open for tourism in late December, and the local tourism industry has worked very hard for the past year to come back strong. There’s a lot to celebrate and we don’t want the one-year anniversary to set us back,” said Brad Dean, CEO, Discover Puerto Rico. “While there’s still progress to be made in some areas of the island, we’re asking for the vibrancy of Puerto Rico as a tourism destination to also be shared and for the milestones the local industry and communities worked hard to achieve to be celebrated. We’re taking this moment to encourage all audiences to help us spotlight our tourism recovery and invite travelers to visit us as tourism is a vital contributor to the economy.”

Currently, Puerto Rico welcomes an average 110 daily flights via 28 different airlines, with a monthly seat capacity surpassing 420,000. By the end of the year, flight capacity is expected to be on par with 2017 levels. Puerto Rico surpassed last year’s cruise vessel totals, welcoming 14 vessels regularly compared to 10 last year. In May, cruise tourism was the best it had been in 20 years in terms of passenger numbers.

Puerto Rico currently offers 132 accommodation options and iconic luxury properties continue to reopen following renovations after the hurricane. Many are expanding their room counts during this time. The investment in new hotel development equals $1.9 billion and results in nearly 3,000 local jobs.