Governor Mike Dunleavy held a press conference Friday announcing an initiative to aid Alaska’s impacted tourism, hospitality, and ancillary businesses. His proposal intends to provide resources to businesses in an effort to rescue this year’s tourism season. The proposal includes an extensive national tourism campaign, relief to tourism communities and businesses and a readiness to file legal action against the CDC if the conditional sail order isn’t lifted.
The governor spoke recently to Fox News doubling down on that position.
Among the proposals pushed to rescue the 2021 Alaska tourism season includes COVID funding for what’s purported to be one of the largest tourism campaigns in state history. The state will direct federal COVID funds to provide grants to tourism businesses and create traveler incentives. Lt. Governor Kevin Meyer and his administration would be traveling throughout the state to listen to community groups and report the findings to the legislature. The administration lists the Kenai Peninsula, Southeast, Denali and the Mat-Su Valley as designated places to travel to gauge the community needs. Dunleavy also is demanding an end to the Passenger Vessel Services Act and urges Congress to exempt cruise ships from the Act for the period during which Canadian ports are closed to cruise shops carrying more than 100 people.
