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For the first time since 2009, the number of cruise passengers in Alaska is expected to top one million, the Alaska Dispatch News reports. According to statistics from the Alaska Cruise Association, cruise passengers are expected to hit 1,014,000 in 2016, the highest since 2009’s number of 1,020,000.
Cruise prices in the state also remain stable, according to the Alaska Dispatch News, with Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean both reporting price increases.
President and CEO of the Alaska Travel Industry Association Sarah Leonard warned the Alaska Dispatch News, however, that cuts to the state’s marketing budget could spell trouble for continued visitor growth in Alaska. The state has budgeted $1.5 million for marketing in 2017, down from $18.7 million in 2013.
Read the Alaska Dispatch News story here, and keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for the latest cruise industry news, trends and updates.