:: Legislators hold hearing on legal challenge
Bob Stone, chairman of the Alaska Cruise Association's (ACA) board of directors, told a special hearing of the House Judiciary Committee that the organization filed its entry fee challenge with reluctance and only after the companies unsuccessfully tried to work with legislators to make adjustments to the tax.
He called the tax, created by a 2006 initiative, improper and unwise because it is...
:: Political ice seems to have thawed around cruise 'head tax'
The $50 head tax issue was before a House Judiciary Committee meeting in Anchorage, a meeting which included extensive discussions in an executive session with State Attorney General Dan Sullivan and other attorneys. Of significance is that the "political freeze," around the tax issue and its legality (constitutionality) seems to have...
:: State likely to lose more ships
Carnival Corp. Chairman and CEO Micky Arison told Wall Street analysts that the company is likely to pull more ships out of Alaska over the coming year due to the rising cost of doing business in the state.
The parent company of Carnival, Princess and Holland America already has announced plans to reduce capacity in Alaska significantly for 2010, as has Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, but Arison says further reductions to begin in 2011 now are under discussion.
"It is likely we are going to do more of (the capacity cutting) in '11," he said during a conference call to discuss third quarter earnings. "The amount of cost that they've put on to the industry during this short season...
The Interior Tourism Summit, sponsored by the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, explored challenges facing Alaska visitor businesses, including the news that cruise companies would send fewer vessels to the state next summer. The summit follows a season in Fairbanks that saw fewer visitors, reflected in fewer airline passengers traveling in and out and a drop in visits to the University of Alaska Museum of the North.
:: Cruise tax affects state tourism future
By Don Habeger
The Empire's "Attack On A Tax" article is a good beginning in educating its readership about the important public debate over our state's cruise tourism future. Sunday's article only scratches the surface of complex public policy as implemented by the Cruise Ship Taxation, Regulation and Disclosure ballot measure of 2006.
For example, the 2006 ballot measure seems to have the unintended consequence of disproportionally shifting port business away from certain municipalities. One would assume that all things being equal, a 15 percent reduction in passengers in 2010 would more or less mean a corresponding reduction in all the ports. However, we learn from Cruise Line Agencies of AK, in a report given at this summer's Southeast Alaska Tourism Economic Summit, that this...
Don Habeger participated in the Juneau tourism summit, sponsored by First Things First Alaska Foundation, a Juneau nonprofit. The foundation invited municipal, state and tourism industry representatives to Juneau for a economic summit on tourism in July. Executive Director PeggyAnn McConnochie says the foundation's mission is to promote the wise use of Alaska's resources. She said tourism is one of those resources and its slump affects a variety of businesses - from airlines and cruise ships to restaurants and retail outlets.
:: Princess names Alaska award winners
For the tenth year, Princess Cruises ended the Alaska season by recognizing top-rated local tour operators with the line's C.R.U.I.S.E. service...
Princess passengers picked Kenai Fjords Tours as the best shore excursion in Seward.
:: Royal Caribbean reduces fuel consumption
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has made environmental improvements over the past...
John Tracy, the long-time news director at KTUU-TV, spent the night in the hot seat during the Dinner of Champions, a fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Alaska Chapter. The Alaska Cruise Association helped sponsor this event which saw a parade of Alaskans roast the popular journalist. With Tracy is his wife, Donna.
:: Young, Begich applaud Disney
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement after learning Disney Cruise Line will offer Alaska cruises during a four-month season in summer...
:: 'Report Card' fails the truth test
The so-called "Report Card" released by Friends of the Earth (FOE) on cruise lines' environmental performance is "not based on science, law or the facts but rather FOE's own arbitrary and...