KEEPING AND MAKING VACATION PLANS IN WAKE OF HURRICANE GEORGES

 Hurricane Georges cut an enormous swath of destruction last month across the northern Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico before drenching a good deal of North America's prime beachfront real estate. It scored direct hits on the three largest islands in the West Indies, Puerto Rico, Hispanola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba, scouring them with 100-mph winds. The Florida Keys were evacuated, as were large stretches of the coastline along the Florida-Alabama border.  Destruction was significant. Flooding followed in the wake of the winds, swollen rivers often abetted by record storm surges. Roads and fields were inundated, power lines brought down, crops destroyed and thousands of people left homeless. The Dominican Republic, which took the brunt of an unexpected shift in the storm's path, lost much of this year's sugar crop. The storm raked the resorts along Puerto Rico's north coast, its eye lashing the shoulders of old San Juan.

Georges will undoubtedly have persis tent and negative consequences on the agricultural economies of the islands. What effect will the great storm of 1998 have on your winter vacation plans?  From all immediate indications, not much.  Tourism is the economic lifeblood of these areas, and local governments and businesses are striving to return things to normal.  While the storm was surprisingly strong, most people had time to batten down the hatches. The foliage is worse for the wear, but initial reports suggest that the major tourist infrastructure survived intact most places, and much of the damage that occurred has already been repaired.  This is the time of year when many sunshine resorts normally close for a few weeks to spruce up for the winter onslaught, and they expect everything to be back to normal when they reopen. Most Florida and Gulf Coast destinations, which are examined elsewhere in this week's PG Travel Section, are already back up to speed, even if the sound of chainsaws is as common there as it was in Pittsburgh following last summer's local storms. Here's a quick roundup of the post-storm situation at selected Caribbean destinations.  Starting in the Leeward Islands, Antigua took the storm's first blows and was especially hard hit. Nonetheless, Gallery Bay and St. James Club will reopen next week. Club Antigua, Jolly Harbor and Sandals will reopen by Nov. 21, and Jumby Bay will reopen on schedule after renovation on Dec. 21.  Anguilla reports that its Malliouhana Hotel will be closed until Nov 21. Jack Tar Village on St. Kitts suffered wind and water damage and is closed indefinitely, as is the Maho Beach on St. Maartin. The Four Seasons on Nevis will reopen Nov 1. Peter Island in the British Virgins will reopen this weekend and Biras Creek next weekend. Airports and port facilities in the U.S. Virgin Islands are back to normal.  Fajardo, a community on Puerto Rico's northeast coast, sustained the worst damage on that island. Its El Conquistador sustained minor damage but is already fully operational, as are Westin's Rio Mar, Hyatt's Dorado Beach and Wyndham's Palmas del Mar. Several of San Juan's grand hotels suffered water damage, but are accommodating guests. The centuries-old banyan tree in the El San Juan's courtyard blew over into the pool, but it is being replanted.  The Dominican Republic was caught off guard when Georges struck its southern coast. La Romana and the capital, Santo Domingo, took direct hits, as did several prime resorts on the Caribbean's second largest island. The Dominican damage deservedly made headlines, yet much of the island escaped relatively unscathed. Most of the country's 40,000 hotel rooms were unaffected. Hotels in the North Coast from Puerto Plata to Samana, as well as hotels in the capital city of Santo Domingo, are operating normally.  In Punta Cana, Bayahibe, La Romana, Juan Dolio, Boca Chica and Bavaro, the tourist zones most affected by Hurricane Georges, 13 hotels sustained damage that interrupted operations, but all are expected to reopen by Dec. 1.  Travelers already holding Caribbean reservations should certainly call to re-confirm, but in most cases, they'll find it will be business as usual. And if you still haven't made plans to visit, by all means proceed. The chances are excellent that the sand and sunshine you're seeking will be there as always, and available flights and rooms are filling up fast.

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