HOUSTON -- The Memorial Day holiday was an important one for Galveston Island, which is still struggling eight months after Hurricane Ike, KPRC Local 2 reported Monday.

Tourism is a top revenue provider for island businesses, so business owners hoped for a healthy turnout over the holiday.

The fishermen were practically elbow-to-elbow along Galveston's one remaining fishing pier. The other piers were destroyed by Ike.

Claudia Holloway and her family had not been back since that massive storm.

"I was actually expecting less but wow, it's beautiful. We love it. And we're coming back again," she said.

The beaches were packed. The storm decimated many of them, but the city shipped in new sand and rebuilt just in time for tourist season.

Theresa Barboza is pleasantly surprised.

"I heard it's a disaster. I hadn't been here. I love it. I love being out here," she said.

Last year, Memorial Day drew about 250,000 tourists. It looks like the city will hit that number again this year.

"(It's) a good barometer to what the balance of the summer will bring to the island as far as tourism is concerned," said Lou Miller, the Galveston Parks Board's former director.

This tourist season is more important to Galveston's economy than ever before.

Ike ravaged the UT Medical Branch, the city's largest employer, and wiped out 3,000 jobs.

So Galveston is anxious to reclaim $800 million in tourist dollars that flowed in annually before Ike.

The beaches, the strand, and most tourist attractions are up and running again.

"There's new sand. There's people everywhere. Everybody's happy. Beach looks beautiful. Couldn't ask for anything better," visitor Leann Payne said.