March 26, 2010
Friday

(SitNews) - Alaska Governor Sean Parnell on Thursday submitted legislation to boost tourism and stimulate the economy in Alaska. The governor's bill establishes corporate income tax credits to boost tourism marketing and reduces the cruise ship passenger tax from $46 to $34.50 with offsets for local passenger taxes.

After decades of steady growth in cruise ship passenger visits to Alaska, the state is facing a 17 percent decline in cruise visitation this summer. That means 140,000 fewer passengers during the upcoming four-month cruise season, resulting in fewer jobs for Alaskans and less revenue for small businesses.

"Alaska's tourism head tax structure must be modified to grow our Alaska businesses," Governor Parnell said. "Declining visitor numbers and dollars have been felt throughout the state. We must do more to make Alaska a more affordable destination for travelers and create jobs for Alaskans."

On the Web:

A copy of the bill is available at:
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell_media/documents/gov_BillLL1210andAnalysis.pdf

Source of News:

Office of the Governor
www.gov.state.ak.us

 

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