March 1 - Zane Kerby, President & CEO of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), issues the following statement in response to the Canadian government’s decision to close its ports to cruise ships through early 2022:

 

“Government action – here and abroad – has played a key role in the decimation of our industry, the most recent example being the Canadian government’s announcement that it is closing its ports to cruise ships through early 2022. Since the federal Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) prohibits foreign-flagged vessels from sailing directly between U.S. domestic ports, this means that Canada’s decision (unless soon reversed) imperils any chance to execute the 2021 Alaska and Canada/New England cruise seasons.

 

“Since this announcement, ASTA has advocated for efforts to mitigate the impact of the Canadian government’s decision and to otherwise ensure the cruise industry in Alaska and New England can resume operations as soon as possible. As such, we welcome last week’s letter from the bipartisan leadership of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure to the Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. suggesting that Canada allow cruise ships to conduct ‘technical stops’ whereby Canada would permit cruise ships to stop at its ports without disembarking passengers. We also support Rep. Don Young’s (R-AK) recently-introduced Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, which would provide a temporary PVSA workaround by deeming roundtrip voyages between Alaska and Washington State as foreign voyages for the purposes of U.S. law.”

 

“Whether legislative, regulatory or diplomatic, we will continue to push for a solution to this impasse. With the vaccination rollout underway and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working with cruise lines to resume cruising from U.S. ports, there is promise for the summer and fall seasons. Government and industry must work together, find a solution and keep that promise.”

 

Those wishing to contact their Members of Congress on this and other COVID relief priorities can do so through ASTA’s grassroots portal.

 

 

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