Last September, renowned chef Jose Andres landed in Puerto Rico to help feed the victims of Hurricane Maria, which left the island with destroyed homes and very little food, water, electricity and cell phone service.

“I have never seen anything like this before, and I immediately saw the need of the island – the urgency of action became real,” he says.

Hurricane Maria reached landfall directly in Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017.

One year later, the island that depends so much on tourism has a message for travelers: It wants and needs them to return.

“The tourism industry has recovered, and we are ready and willing and eager to welcome visitors,” says Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico.

Dean says 4,000 restaurants, 189 attractions, 13 golf courses, and 16 casinos have re-opened. The island has 14 cruises ships making ports of call there, four more than last year.

Airlines are making 110 daily flights to the island right now. Before the hurricane, there were 120 to 130 daily flights. Directly after the hurricane, there were just 20.

A year after major hurricane, the Caribbean lures travelers

But it’s been a long and hard year for the U.S. territory known for its beaches and Caribbean and Latin flavor.

It was only on Aug. 14 that the government-owned electric power company finally restored electricity to the final home that lost it.

The economic cost has reached at least $100 billion. The toll on life has been even worse: an independent study from George Washington University recently estimated that 2,975 people have died as a result of the hurricane. The government of Puerto Rico has accepted that number as the official death toll, after initially reporting only 64 fatalities.

Many homes and schools still have to be rebuilt. Many Puerto Ricans fled to mainland USA and have not returned.

“There is still a lot of work that needs to be done,” Dean says.

The government has also spent time trying to rebuild the tourism industry because it brings in so much money to the island.

Discover Puerto Rico is the island’s new private destination marketing organization which only got its name July 1. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló authorized its creation in March to dedicate itself to marketing the island as a business and leisure destination.

The government-owned Puerto Rico Tourism Company will remain in operation to focus more on developing tourism offerings, such as managing maritime and air access, creating new attractions and collaborating with hotels.

Caribbean islands offer hurricane guarantees

Clarissa Jimenez, president and CEO of the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, says that of about 14,000 hotel rooms endorsed by the company, 3,600 still are out of order.

But more than 132 hotels are now open. Another 11 hotels are scheduled to open between now and January.

In all, $1.9 billion is being invested in new development.

(Story continues below.)

Danny Hughes, Hilton’s executive vice president and president of the Americas, says the hurricane paved the way for a quicker renovation of properties that would have eventually been revamped over stages.

“Out of tragedy comes opportunity,” he says. “It’s a much more efficient renovation and construction, meaning you don’t have to worry about disturbing guests because they are not there.”

The historic Caribe Hilton, which calls itself the birthplace of the pina colada, will re-open in December with 652 rooms, a new lobby and landscaping, tennis courts, a fitness center, bars and restaurants, and 65,000 square feet of meeting space.

“We will return stronger than ever with brand new roads, brand new facilities,” says Pablo Torres, general manager of the Caribe Hilton. “At the end of the day, we will have a brand-new hotel.”

The iconic Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is scheduled to re-open in October.

Michael Crosby, design director and principal of Wilson Associates' Dallas studio, worked on the original design of the property, which originally opened in December 2012. He has been instrumental in this latest renovation.

“The luxury guests and repeat guests who return again and again to Dorado, they always say ‘what’s new?,’” Crosby says. “At the same time, we don’t want to ruffle a lot of feathers. People love what’s there. They love the DNA. There’s a lot of rich history.”

All 114 beachfront guestrooms and suites have been revamped. The hurricane caused upholsteries to get moldy. All the beds, desk chairs and outdoor furniture had to be replaced. Crosby says rooms now have a textural and neutral palette with pillows offering accents of color inspired by the beach. Think the colors of the sunset—golds and purples.

Outside, the grounds will get more than 300,000 new flora and fauna. “The biggest damage really was to all the vegetation,” Crosby says.

The beachside restaurant Positivo Sandbar will debut an Omakase and Ceviche Bar. The Forbes Five Star spa is getting revitalized with a new spa cuisine concept. The fitness center is being outfitted with the latest equipment.

“It is a magical part of the world, and I think people are excited about the relaunch,” Crosby says.

One of the major new developments on the horizon is District San Juan, a $125 million entertainment complex set to open late next year.

It will include a concert space for up to 6,000 people, an eight-screen movie theater, a 23,000 square-foot day and night club, and more than 15 bars, restaurants, and fast-casual eateries. It will also have a 175-room Aloft Hotel by Marriott.

“This will be a game-changer for Puerto Rico,” Dean says.

Florida welcomes visitors a year after hurricane

Other existing attractions are still on the mend. At El Yunque National Forest, one of the island’s most popular attractions, four or five trails are open while others are still getting repaired, says Jimenez. She advises checking on the forest’s website to make sure which trails are open each day.

But, she says, "Right now, it’s lush and it’s beautiful.”

All the main beaches are open, she says.

The hardest hit parts of Puerto Rico are still struggling to come back at full capacity. Hotel inventory is still lagging in Vieques and Culebra, two islands off Puerto Rico’s east coast. But both have their ferry service back and flights are operating there, Dean says.

Since the hurricane, Andres’ World Central Kitchen, a team of volunteer chefs, have served more than 3.7 million meals.

He says the island still has to build its resilience and strength against future disasters. But he sees the residents making strides.

“The island is stronger and stronger every day, and the people are thinking long-term about how to keep moving forward,” Andres says.