by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:34 PM ET, Tue May 4, 2021
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), is donating $10 million to six Alaskan port communities that have been severely impacted by the cruise suspension as a result of the pandemic.
Around 60 percent of all tourism in Alaska is through cruising, which has been suspended for over a year. The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) estimated that in 2019, 1.4 million passengers visited the state.
The state, according to a government report, has lost around $3.3 billion, $2.2 billion of which would be in local business revenue. More than 22,000 jobs have been lost within the port and cruise lines sectors, resulting in over $300 million in loss of wages.
Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Hoonah, Seward and Sitka will receive the donation in cash.
NCLH has also joined BuyAlaska and Voyij.com's 'Shop Local Alaska' program and is promoting local Alaskan businesses that have been heavily affected by the lack of tourism. Consumers around the world can browse virtual stores and buy local Alaskan products.
The cruise company has also submitted a plan to the CDC in April to request authorization to return to cruising on July 4th, with its SailSAFE program in place, which requires all crew and passengers to be fully vaccinated.
"My heart breaks for Alaska and its wonderful people as we face a potential second year of zero cruise operations during the all-important summer tourism season, bringing yet another blow to Alaska's tourism economy," said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. "Alaska is one of our guests' most popular cruise destinations and we are doing everything in our power to safely resume operations in the U.S. which will provide much-needed relief to the families, communities and small businesses who rely on cruise tourism for their livelihoods."
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