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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico saw a record 1.2 million cruise ship passengers this past fiscal year as the U.S. territory tries to recover from Hurricane Maria and an economic crisis.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello said Friday that the visits generated an estimated $152 million overall for the island struggling through an 11-year recession.
He said the number of visitors from cruise ships in the last four months hit records as well, with nearly 135,000 passengers in June.
Puerto Rico's tourism company estimates that some 1.7 million passengers will arrive this fiscal year. More than 540 cruise ship visits are scheduled, and officials say they could generate some $250 million overall.
Tourism represents roughly seven percent of Puerto Rico's economy.
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