(SitNews) - Governor Sean Parnell welcomed the news that Norwegian Cruise Line will add a ship to Alaska for the 2013 season. The Norwegian Sun will sail between Vancouver, British Columbia and Whittier, Alaska in the summer of 2013. The Sun will be a third Norwegian Cruise Line ship to ply Alaska’s waterways.

The Sun will embark on weekly southbound and northbound trips beginning May 20, 2013. The northbound trip leaves Vancouver and travels along the Inside Passage past Glacier Bay and Hubbard Bay, also making stops in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. The southbound trip leaves Whittier and travels along the Inside Passage, Sawyer Glacier and Hubbard Glacier, stopping in Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Juneau and Ketchikan.

“We are pleased that Norwegian Cruise Line will bring even more passengers to our great state,” Governor Parnell said. “This is more evidence that lowering taxes on an industry leads to increased investment that Alaskans will reap into the future.”

Adding one large cruise ship has the potential to bring approximately 40,000 new visitors to Alaska and approximately $40 million in direct and indirect spending within Alaska. When combined with the projected increase of 60,000 cruise passengers in 2012, the health of Alaska’s visitor industry has improved considerably since losing more than 265,000 visitors and 5,000 Alaska jobs in recent years.

Reversing the decline in visitor travel has been a focus of the Parnell administration. Governor Parnell sponsored legislation that reduced the cruise passenger head tax, making Alaska a more affordable destination for cruise passengers.

House Special Committee on Economic Development, Trade & Tourism Chair Bob Herron heralded news that Norwegian Cruise Lines plans to add a ship to their Alaska fleet in time for the 2013 season.

“More visitors to our state equals more exposure, money and jobs for our state,” Herron said. "This indeed encourages timely economic development opportunities for Alaskans and delivers on the promise given by the industry."

“This is great news for both Southeast and Southcentral Alaska,” Anchorage Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage, said. “This announcement shows that the efforts of many people, including the legislature and governor Parnell through business-friendly policies, are being rewarded with renewed interest in our visitor industry."

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News: 

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

Office of the Speaker - Alaska State Legislature
www.legis.state.ak.us

SitNews ©2011
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources.