The Alaskan Tourism Recovery Act passes

[nocl]

On 5/13/2021 at 6:32 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Passed the Senate unanimously!  I didn't think anything could get unanimous approval in DC these days!

It passed by unanimous consent, not unanimously by roll call vote.  Bottom line nobody cared enough to object.

[Ken the cruiser]

Thought folks might be interested in what was discussed at the end of this Princess thread regarding the happenings in the House today.

 

Alaska Tourism Recovery Act Passes U.S. Senate - Page 4 - Princess Cruises - Cruise Critic Community

[4774Papa]

The footnote to this law is:

Forget about Canada, we don't need them.

[Fouremco]

6 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

The footnote to this law is:

Forget about Canada, we don't need them.

So, Seattle is going to be able to accommodate the 300 or so additional cruises departing or arriving in Vancouver annually? Remarkable! Ships might have to be double or triple stacked like river boats! 😊

 

Of course, the PVSA exemption is only temporary, as is the Canadian cruise ban. Perhaps those details escaped you.

 

🇨🇦🇺🇸

[Blackduck59]

For those that want to "forget about Canada, we don't need them" remember the PVSA is a United States protectionist law and had nothing to do with us. The fact it exists made for a symbiotic relationship for the foreign flagged ships to operate in both countries. And as far as Alaska goes Seattle couldn't handle the load on their own.

I'm sure this has been pointed out many times and continually ignored by some, the PVSA is about much more than "cruise ships" the fall out from repealing it permanently would be immense. In simple terms it requires ships carrying passengers in the United States to be built in the US and crewed by Americans. Think about it, all the ferries, river cruises, etc. If the act was to be repealed permanently it would have devastating effects on ship building in the United States. None of these ships, be it Washington State Ferries or even the venerable Staten Island Ferries would need to be built in the US by American ship yard workers or crewed by Americans, or home port in the USA. Be careful what you wish for and ask a shipyard worker or American crew what they think.

[grandgeezer]

10 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

The footnote to this law is:

Forget about Canada, we don't need them.

Instead of criticizing Canada, they should be applauded. Much like Australia, and a few other countries, they put the health and safety of their fellow countrymen  first over the almighty dollar. 

We have a few "snowbirds" from Canada that live near us, in the winter, and will welcome them back, with open arms this winter. They couldn't come this past winter.

[4774Papa]

5 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

For those that want to "forget about Canada, we don't need them" remember the PVSA is a United States protectionist law and had nothing to do with us. The fact it exists made for a symbiotic relationship for the foreign flagged ships to operate in both countries. And as far as Alaska goes Seattle couldn't handle the load on their own.

I'm sure this has been pointed out many times and continually ignored by some, the PVSA is about much more than "cruise ships" the fall out from repealing it permanently would be immense. In simple terms it requires ships carrying passengers in the United States to be built in the US and crewed by Americans. Think about it, all the ferries, river cruises, etc. If the act was to be repealed permanently it would have devastating effects on ship building in the United States. None of these ships, be it Washington State Ferries or even the venerable Staten Island Ferries would need to be built in the US by American ship yard workers or crewed by Americans, or home port in the USA. Be careful what you wish for and ask a shipyard worker or American crew what they think.

I happen to love all my trips to Canada and all the great Canadian people that I have met.

Agree, the PVSA is as you say.

However, despite the fact that the EU will be opening up to Americans that are vaccinated this Summer, Canada has closed it ports this Alaska cruise season.   This, despite the fact that the USA is doing much better with vaccinations than Canada and all but a handful of countries in the World.  

[TeeRick]

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

I happen to love all my trips to Canada and all the great Canadian people that I have met.

Agree, the PVSA is as you say.

However, despite the fact that the EU will be opening up to Americans that are vaccinated this Summer, Canada has closed it ports this Alaska cruise season.   This, despite the fact that the USA is doing much better with vaccinations than Canada and all but a handful of countries in the World.  

A number of countries of the EU are entirely dependent on tourism.  And the EU vaccination rates and supplies are ramping up.   But only 4% of Canadians are fully vaccinated.  That is partially due to their one-dose strategy, but that is the current number.  So why would the country of Canada open up to Americans and Alaskan cruises right now?  Canada's economy is not dependent on Alaskan cruises out of one port (Vancouver). 

[d9704011]

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

This, despite the fact that the USA is doing much better with vaccinations than Canada

How did you arrive at that conclusion?  Canada has a greater proportion of the population with at least one dose of (highly efficacious) vaccine than the US.

Edited May 22, 2021 by d9704011

[4774Papa]

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

A number of countries of the EU are entirely dependent on tourism.  And the EU vaccination rates and supplies are ramping up.   But only 4% of Canadians are fully vaccinated.  That is partially due to their one-dose strategy, but that is the current number.  So why would the country of Canada open up to Americans and Alaskan cruises right now?  Canada's economy is not dependent on Alaskan cruises out of one port (Vancouver). 

TeeRick,

Is Canada doing worse than most of the EU.   Why not open up to VACCINATED from the USA?  Perhaps your post provides the answer?  Still, on my visit to Vancouver and the Canadian Pacific as well as the Canadian Rockies, there certainly were many tourists.

[4774Papa]

3 hours ago, d9704011 said:

How did you arrive at that conclusion?  Canada has a greater proportion of the population with at least one dose of (highly efficacious) vaccine than the US.

Perhaps some good news coming about the border opening up?

https://torontosun.com/news/national/trudeau-government-begins-work-on-reopening-u-s-canada-border

 

[TeeRick]

39 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

TeeRick,

Is Canada doing worse than most of the EU.   Why not open up to VACCINATED from the USA?  Perhaps your post provides the answer?  Still, on my visit to Vancouver and the Canadian Pacific as well as the Canadian Rockies, there certainly were many tourists.

My only point was why would Canada open up for Alaska cruises when only one port involved in the country?  What is the benefit to them?

[ChucktownSteve]

There's more to Canadian cruising than just the left coast and Alaska.  Don't forget the Northeast, St. Lawrence River and Montreal ports. Canada is a beautiful country, not just for cruising.

 

However that being said, we're looking forward to next year's June cruise to Montreal.  Then we follow up with another cruise in the fall out of Vancouver to Alaska. I hope they open up by then. 😀

Edited May 22, 2021 by ChucktownSteve

[grandgeezer]

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

My only point was why would Canada open up for Alaska cruises when only one port involved in the country?  What is the benefit to them?

Not that it makes a difference, but we stopped at Victoria Canada besides Vancouver.

[Blackduck59]

3 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

There's more to Canadian cruising than just the left coast and Alaska.  Don't forget the Northeast, St. Lawrence River and Montreal ports. Canada is a beautiful country, not just for cruising.

 

However that being said, we're looking forward to next year's June cruise to Montreal.  Then we follow up with another cruise in the fall out of Vancouver to Alaska. I hope they open up by then. 😀

 

I hope we are open by then too, we have a New York to Quebec City (on another line) end of August/early September 2022.

I'm also glad to see someone acknowledge my home town of Victoria as being affected by the lost Alaska cruise season.

[ScottC4746]

I received an email from the President of the Cruise Line stating:

Dear Scott,   The world is opening again and Celebrity Cruises is opening along with it. Earlier today we announced our long-awaited return to Alaska! The beautifully revolutionized Celebrity Summit will set sail beginning July 23 on a series of 7-night itineraries roundtrip from Seattle. It’s been a long road and there’s more to do but this milestone calls for celebration. I want to thank all of you, our crew, our shore side teams and everyone who made this possible. The future is looking very bright. I just can't say enough about how wonderful it is to return to Alaska. I have always had a special place in my heart for the incredible people, amazing wildlife and the beauty of this great state. I’ve had the pleasure of traveling to Alaska many times. My last visit was in 2019 on a ‘Celebrate with the CEO’ sailing. We went whale watching, tasted the local salmon and watched performances from Alaskan bands and dance troupes. It was an experience I will always treasure. The people of Alaska are really what make it so special. The Alaskan communities have been hurting without the economic support they receive from tourism, and especially, the cruise industry. I am grateful to our elected officials across the country for recognizing the need and finding a way to restore them to their livelihoods. I truly believe that the best way to experience Alaska is by cruise ship. Our new 2021 Alaska sailings open for booking on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 and you can find more information about them at https://www.celebritycruises.com/destinations/alaska-cruises. If you've never been to Alaska, now Is the time to go. All sailings will depart with vaccinated crew and everyone over the age of 16 must be vaccinated; as of August 1, 2021, all US guests ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated. We are looking forward to sharing more of these announcements as we work to bring our entire fleet back into service. All of us here at Celebrity Cruises continue to be so grateful for your loyalty and support. Celebrity is all about opening the world and I look forward to seeing you back on board very soon.

All my best,

http://image.email.celebritycruises.com/lib/fe741570746504797615/m/23/8b77d321-0f1a-4923-a9a6-6fca4d55158a.jpg

LLP President & CEO, Celebrity Cruises

[nocl]

11 hours ago, TeeRick said:

A number of countries of the EU are entirely dependent on tourism.  And the EU vaccination rates and supplies are ramping up.   But only 4% of Canadians are fully vaccinated.  That is partially due to their one-dose strategy, but that is the current number.  So why would the country of Canada open up to Americans and Alaskan cruises right now?  Canada's economy is not dependent on Alaskan cruises out of one port (Vancouver). 

From the data I have seen Croatia is the most dependent at 25%, followed by Greece at 22%.

 

Montenegro would be higher at 33% but it has not yet been admitted to the EU. 

 

For comparison New Zealand who is certainly staying closed is in the same range at 20%

 

As far as the larger countries in the EU Spain is at 14.3%, Germany is 9.1%, France 8.5%

 

Outside of the EU Canada is around 6.3%

[Host Jazzbeau]

The numbers don't reflect well on those countries that have adopted the '1 shot with a long delay' strategy.  They don't go on the charts with many 'fully vaccinated' residents, but they have achieved quite a bit.  As long as the delay doesn't weaken the cumulative effect, this is a good strategy – but it makes it hard to compare across countries.

[K.T.B.]

12 hours ago, TeeRick said:

My only point was why would Canada open up for Alaska cruises when only one port involved in the country?  What is the benefit to them?

 

2 ports actually:  Vancouver and Victoria.

[onlyslightlymad]

9 hours ago, nocl said:

From the data I have seen Croatia is the most dependent at 25%, followed by Greece at 22%.

 

Montenegro would be higher at 33% but it has not yet been admitted to the EU. 

 

For comparison New Zealand who is certainly staying closed is in the same range at 20%

 

As far as the larger countries in the EU Spain is at 14.3%, Germany is 9.1%, France 8.5%

 

Outside of the EU Canada is around 6.3%

As a NZer, I am curious as to this 20% figure and what it exactly represents.  Pre-Covid, tourism accounted for 5.8% of GDP directly.    It did account for 20% of exports so perhaps that is what you are referring to.  The latest GDP figures show an annual drop of 3%.  While not pleasant, it is short of the 20% you are quoting.  So what do mean by dependent, what measure are you using?

[TeeRick]

Thanks to those of you that added Victoria.  But I think the point is the same.  Canada has no incentive to open its border for primarily a relatively small number of American cruise tourists going to Alaska just because the US Senate passed a loophole law for Alaska.  Maybe they will reconsider when their vaccine rates and number of vaccinated citizens warrant a change.  

[TeeRick]

14 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

I hope we are open by then too, we have a New York to Quebec City (on another line) end of August/early September 2022.

I'm also glad to see someone acknowledge my home town of Victoria as being affected by the lost Alaska cruise season.

Sorry- I did not mean to forget Victoria.

[nocl]

6 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

As a NZer, I am curious as to this 20% figure and what it exactly represents.  Pre-Covid, tourism accounted for 5.8% of GDP directly.    It did account for 20% of exports so perhaps that is what you are referring to.  The latest GDP figures show an annual drop of 3%.  While not pleasant, it is short of the 20% you are quoting.  So what do mean by dependent, what measure are you using?

 

I may have pulled the numbers from the employment contribution percentage table.

 

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/countries-reliant-tourism/

 

data from the World Travel & Tourism Council, and it highlights the countries that depend the most on the travel and tourism industry according to employment—quantifying the scale that the industry contributes to the health of the global economy

 

My understanding of these numbers are the total contribution of all tourism and travel spending, both local and foreign.  As such it would not only be the direct dollars but the cascading impact of the jobs created (the income they earn and spend)

 

The more detailed data from the WTTC is here

 

https://wttc.org/Research/Economic-Impact

 

They do have a New Zealand specific page

That showed GDP contribution to be 10.3 percent with total impact on economy at 15% of total economy and 20.3% of exports. 

Edited May 23, 2021 by nocl

[zelker]

12 hours ago, K.T.B. said:

 

2 ports actually:  Vancouver and Victoria.

More than just these two Canadian ports are affected ... we visited these plus Prince Rupert on HAL, and Prince Rupert, Alert Bay, and Klemtu on Seabourn, and I know other lines visit these and other small Canadian ports.

 

Edited May 23, 2021 by zelker

[onlyslightlymad]

3 hours ago, nocl said:

 

I may have pulled the numbers from the employment contribution percentage table.

 

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/countries-reliant-tourism/

 

data from the World Travel & Tourism Council, and it highlights the countries that depend the most on the travel and tourism industry according to employment—quantifying the scale that the industry contributes to the health of the global economy

 

My understanding of these numbers are the total contribution of all tourism and travel spending, both local and foreign.  As such it would not only be the direct dollars but the cascading impact of the jobs created (the income they earn and spend)

 

The more detailed data from the WTTC is here

 

https://wttc.org/Research/Economic-Impact

 

They do have a New Zealand specific page

That showed GDP contribution to be 10.3 percent with total impact on economy at 15% of total economy and 20.3% of exports. 

Thank you.  While there is no denying that the loss of tourists has had an economic impact, particular within certain sectors (eg hospo), it has been somewhat mitigated by domestic tourism.  Because we have freedom of movement and assembly within our borders, those New Zealanders who would have been going offshore on holiday have instead been holidaying in their own country.  As to how long such spending patterns can continue, that's a different matter.