*By Carlo Versano*
Nearly a year after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the island is primed for a tourism comeback, said Mark Ellwood, a contributing editor for Condé Nast Traveler.
"I think it's reassuringly much better, especially in San Juan," Ellwood said Tuesday in an interview on Cheddar. "It's about 90 percent there."
The island's marketing agency just announced a tourism campaign, [#CoverTheProgress](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/puerto-rico-tourism-industry-calls-for-news-coverage-of-the-islands-positive-milestones-as-the-one-year-anniversary-of-hurricane-maria-approaches-300699367.html), which highlights the rebuilding efforts in the 11 months since the storm killed [as many as 1,400](http://www.p3.pr.gov/assets/pr-draft-recovery-plan-for-comment-july-9-2018.pdf).
Ellwood, who just returned from a trip to the island, urged potential travelers to consider a vacation in Puerto Rico for altruistic reasons.
"Our money is one of the ways we can help," he said.
But it's not just an act of service. Many of the high-end hotels are either fully or partially back up and running, and daily average room and occupancy rates are climbing, according to a report published Tuesday in the [Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/puerto-ricos-hotels-offer-rare-good-news-in-aftermath-of-the-hurricane-1534849200).
The island of Vieques, off Puerto Rico's eastern seaboard, is particularly enchanting, Ellwood said. He added the [Hix Island House] (http://hixislandhouse.com/) on the island is one of his favorite hotels in the world, and prices start at a reasonable $115 per night.
Prices throughout the territory will be lower through hurricane season. For flexible travelers who spring for travel insurance, there are great bargains to be had.
"I know travel insurance sounds crazy, but it's crazy until you need it," Ellwood said.
The month of September is what's known in the industry as "shoulder season," when travelers can get the best of both worlds: off-season prices and on-season weather.
Ellwood's shoulder-season choices:
-The British countryside, which has lovely weather, pretty foliage and a wine region "as good as Champagne" in Sussex.
-French Polynesia, a "bucket list" destination where deals can be found outside Bora Bora and Tahiti. On the smaller islands, no-frills guest houses can go for $200-250 per night, according to Ellwood.
But when you're waking up on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, does it really matter if there's no room service?
For full interview [click here] ( https://cheddar.com/videos/puerto-ricos-tourism-agency-wants-you-to-see-how-the-island-has-recovered-a-year-after-hurricane-maria).
Catching you up on the entertainment headlines of the day with "Top Gun: Maverick" making $19.3M in previews, BTS heading to the White House, and "Ozark” reclaiming the throne as number one in the Nielsen streaming ratings.
Music group North Star Boys joins Cheddar News to discuss their debut single, shutting down Times Square, and representing the Asian community through music.
On this episode of ChedHER: Author of 'The Glass Ledge: How to Break Through Self-Sabotage, Embrace Your Power, and Create Your Success' discusses what exactly the 'glass ledge' is and how to overcome negative self-perception; Co-Owner of Wanderlust Creamery explains the story behind launching her very own ice cream business, and how she's overcome hurdles as a business owner; Chief Marketing Officer at Great Learning and Capacity Planning Analyst at Salesforce discuss how upskilling can help you advance in your career.
Adrienne Borlongan, Co-Owner of Wanderlust Creamery, joins ChedHER to discuss the story behind launching her very own ice cream business, and how she's overcome hurdles as a business owner.
Iman Oubou, Author of 'The Glass Ledge: How to Break Through Self-Sabotage, Embrace Your Power, and Create Your Success,' joins ChedHER to discuss what exactly the 'glass ledge' is and how to overcome negative self-perception.
Aparna Mahesh, Chief Marketing Officer at Great Learning, and Brandy Murray, Capacity Planning Analyst at Salesforce and Great Learning learner, join ChedHER to discuss how upskilling can help you advance in your career.
Umbilical cord blood banking platform Anja Health raised $4.5 million dollars in a seed round led by Seven Seven Six, a venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Anja Health offers a personalized, doctor-backed cord blood bank, which lets new parents freeze stem cells from their child's umbilical cord so they can be used to treat diseases in the future. It's a process Anja has called 'Hollywood's best-kept secret,' as celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Serena Williams, and more have all banked their umbilical cord blood. Kathryn Cross, the founder of Anja Health, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Actor Jimmy O. Yang is partnering with Chinese food chain Panda Express for his YouTube series "Jimmy's Kitchen." The comedian joined Cheddar News to talk about the partnership as well as upcoming ventures. "Panda Express could not be more perfect like even before this deal, I was just wearing a Panda Express hat for fun when I go outside," he said.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is displaying his world-renowned collection of historic memorabilia to the public for the first time in the Big Apple. Irsay joined Cheddar News to talk about why he's bringing artifacts from the Beatles to Jerry Garcia to light now. "I borrow all this stuff, you know, and I just feel kind of an obligation to share it with the public and make it come alive if you will," he said.
