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According to reports by the Associated Press, Hurricane Ike had a massive impact on tourism in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. According to a Tuesday afternoon report, the storm put the destination’s vital tourism industry out of commission Monday and it is likely to remain that way for weeks or even months to come.
Ike destroyed homes, scattered power lines, uprooted trees and tossed cars and small trucks around, the AP reports. The Category 4 hurricane dealt blows to every building, including the airport control tower and colonial buildings, the AP Reports. About $5 to $10 million in damage by the storm was estimated as of Tuesday.
About six Royal Caribbean cruise ships had to be redirected because of the powerful storm while a spokesperson for Carnival Corp. said the company is still assessing the damage in Grand Turk and neighboring ports. According to the AP, Grand Turk was expected to receive a record 400,000 cruise ship passengers this year before the storm, mostly from lines operated by Carnival. If it reopens by November 1, it might reach 350,000 this year, the AP reports.