Cruise ship company pushes to expand Alaska tourism season

JUNEAU, Alaska – A cruise ship company is planning to increase spending to expand the spring tourism season for southeast Alaska.

The Juneau Empire reports UnCruise Adventures is more than doubling down on its marketing efforts to push more people to visit the area in April and May rather than the peak tourism season in the summer.

Company CEO Dan Blanchard told the Juneau Chamber of Commerce on Thursday that the city could benefit if they all “work toward the goal of getting people up to southeast Alaska sooner.”

Blanchard says his company’s sales are up 21 per cent from last year and he expects a 14 per cent increase for next year from the efforts.

The company launched its tourism season this year in mid-April, weeks ahead of the larger cruise ship companies.

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Information from: Juneau (Alaska) Empire, http://www.juneauempire.com