Grand Turk tourism pummeled by Hurricane Ike

GRAND TURK, Turks and Caicos Islands (AP) -- The crucial tourism industry was out of commission Monday in Grand Turk and likely to remain that way for weeks or even months as the low-lying island rebuilds from the devastation of Hurricane Ike.

The powerful storm destroyed homes, scattered power lines, uprooted trees and tossed cars and small trucks around like toys. Nearly every building, including the airport control tower and pastel colored colonial buildings, sustained some damage in the Category 4 hurricane.

"I've been living in the Caribbean for 25 years and I've never seen this kind of destruction," said Giora Israel, senior vice president of strategic planning for Carnival Corp., which owns the cruise ship pier and terminal on the island.

Rain and wind caused an estimated $5-$10 million in damage to the terminal and the grounds around it -- ripping out some 500 palm trees that were planted just six months ago, Israel said. The pier itself, built to withstand a Category 5 storm, was unscathed.

Michael Sheehan, spokesman for Royal Caribbean Ltd., said about six ships have been redirected because of Hurricane Ike. The cruise line does not sail to Grand Turk, which suffered heavy damage.

"Our stuff throughout the Caribbean has been OK. Obviously, we are going to have to wait and see what happens in the Gulf, but things have been fine."

A spokeswoman for Carnival Corp. said the company is still assessing the damage in Grand Turk and neighboring ports.

Grand Turk is the capital of the island chain and many people there work for the government. There are a half-dozen hotels but the cruise ship industry, both directly and indirectly, is the largest private sector employer.

Many people were picking through the wreckage of their homes and businesses Monday, recalling moments of terror while vowing to rebuild on an island with stunning views of turquoise seas. "This is home. I wouldn't want to live anyplace else," said Lydia Henfield, who spent the night of the storm huddled under the kitchen table with three grandchildren as the roof blew off their house. iReport.com: Is Ike affecting you? Share your story

Before the storm, Grand Turk was expected to receive a record 400,000 cruise ship passengers this year, mostly from lines operated by Carnival. If it reopens by November 1, it might reach 350,000 this year, said Israel, who added that his company is eager to resume operations on the island.

"We've got to get money back into the economy," he said. "We can reopen this island."

The situation was better elsewhere in the tourism-dependent Turks and Caicos Islands.

There was no major damage to the hotels and resorts of Providenciales, which receives the most visitors in the chain, and the airport was expected to reopen Monday afternoon. Crews were clearing debris, the power was largely back and stores were beginning to reopen.

There were also no reports of major damage on Parrot Cay, where celebrities such as Bruce Willis own homes.

"The tourism sector is open for business," Premier Michael Misick said of Providenciales, where most hotels were built within the last 20 years. "It speaks to the level of quality of construction here that we can withstand a Category 4 storm without any major damage."

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