Puerto Rico tourism officials are scrambling to assure visitors that their vacations won't be crimped by a fiscal crisis that shut down the Commonwealth's government yesterday.

Here's the facts: all nonessential government services have been shuttered as a result of an impasse between Puerto Rico's governor -- who wants a loan to cover a $740-million budget shortfall -- and the legislature, which says the island's government already has way too much debt.

The bottom line is that hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rico government employees are now out of work and not getting paid -- a restive environment, to be sure.

So, what does this mean for island visitors? Reports indicate that, so far, street life in San Juan appears to be normal, although crowds estimated at 45-50,000 turned out in protest this weekend. A colleague just back from Puerto Rico this week said that while locals reassured her in English that Puerto Rico was safe for tourists, the Spanish-language conversations were all about whether the country should remain a U.S. commonwealth, sue for statehood, or declare its independence. Hardly a new topic in Puerto Rico, but maybe this latest crisis will sway opinions one way or another.

Meanwhile, local tourism officials are anxious to reassure visitors, whose dollars remain the lifeblood of the economy in many regards. "Despite the temporary closure of several government agencies beginning today due to fiscal budget issues on the island, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) assures tourists that Puerto Rico is open for tourism and that their safety and comfort remains the number one priority," the PRTC said in a statement released yesterday. "While non-essential government offices could be closed through July 1, all emergency services are operating as normal ... Puerto Rico's many attractions, resort areas and tourist services have not been affected by these office closings. All tourist services are open and functioning normally, including: emergency services, airport staff and maintenance, ports and cruise facilities, taxis, casinos, national and local parks, hotels, restaurants, tour guides, municipal services and tourist centers. In addition, all government offices related to public safety and health services will remain open to ensure safety and security."

Today, the PRTC issued a followup statement focusing on security concerns, stating, "Resorts in Puerto Rico are located in safe areas and special precautions are taken to ensure the security of our guests. Most resorts have their own security staff present 24 hours a day. Some resorts have security patrols on bicycles throughout the property or walking the grounds, beach, pool areas, etc."

"Additionally, police cars cruise popular beaches such as Condado and Isla Verde in San Juan and check in with hotel doormen regularly. In the event protest marches take place, plans to provide alternative routes for tourists are being put into place. PRTC will work in conjunction with federal agencies and our travel industry partners to notify tourists of the situation."

The agency advised visitors to check the PRTC website for updates or to call its consumer hotline at 800-866-7827.

Reports indicate that buses and taxis are still running normally. But let's hope this situation is resolved soon, for the sake of both visitors and Puerto Rico residents. It's hard to imagine what will happen if the government really stays shut down until July!