January 1, 1970
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) prepared the following analysis of cruise ship redeployments on Anchorage in 2010 for the new administration of Mayor Dan Sullivan:
"Current cruise redeployments will reduce cruise passengers into Southcentral by 117,000 next year. Given average visitor spending patterns, this translates to a decrease in visitor spending of $97 million and an anticipated decrease in total bed taxes of $1.8 million. Alaska Airlines will offer 3-5 fewer flights per week based on the redeployments, further limiting availability and convenience for residents and other visitors.
"As ships move to other waters, there is also a loss of cruise marketing dollars that will be spent promoting competing destinations ($2 million per ship) and a decrease of future visitors as 46 percent of Alaska's cruise visitors plan a return visit to Alaska in the future.
"Response/Strategy: ACVB will work with cruise lines to try to improve the business environment for cruise ships at the statewide level and would like to work with the MOA (Municipality of Anchorage) on a program to welcome and invite cruise lines to increase cross-Gulf sailings in the future.
"ACVB is also working to find new business for the hotel rooms previously blocked for cruise passengers by more actively pursuing summer conventions and meetings and reaching out to independent and smaller tour operators who have had room block challenges in the past."