The floodwaters have receded, the temporary shelters have cleared out and Houston has largely returned to normal since Hurricane Harvey dumped up to 51 inches of rain on the city in late August, destroying approximately 135,000 homes and killing 49 people. Today, a drive around the city reveals few signs of the catastrophic rainfall that turned highways into rivers and reservoirs into neighborhood-devouring lakes.

Houston has bounced back from Harvey faster than anyone predicted, inspiring the Twitter hashtag #HoustonStrong.

But for one sector of the economy— tourism—recovery is still a work in progress. Although never considered a top vacation destination like San Antonio or Austin, Houston has attracted a growing number of travelers in recent years, thanks to its award-winning restaurants and robust cultural offerings. Last year, a record 20 million people visited, a number bolstered by the Super Bowl in February.

Leading figures in the local hospitality industry say they are cautiously optimistic that the city can regain its former momentum. “There’s a misconception that, wow, Houston’s in a bad place,” said the chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly. “We had a lot of people affected in this city, and a lot of people are still trying to figure it out, so of course you’re going to have a loss of business. But it’s starting to come back.”