Alaska Closes Their Doors To Tourists?

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

(RestoreAmericanGlory.com) – Alaska is considering a new policy limiting the amount of visitors to its capital, Juneau.

The policy comes as residents express their concerns about over-tourism and would expand upon legislation the state introduced last year.

Deborah Craig, a Juneau resident for decades, noted the call for further legislation was about “preserving the lifestyle that keeps us in Juneau,” pointing to clean water, air, and a “pristine environment” with “easy access to trails… water sports, and nature.

Craig also argued residents weren’t unwelcoming of tourists but wanted to control the “volume” as there were “too many in a short period” and it was “overwhelming” the small community.”

Last year, the Alaskan capital limited visitation to five cruise ships a day. So far, cruise liners Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival have agreed to limit the number of passengers visiting the shore each day.

The cruise liners have agreed that starting in 2026, they would limit passengers visiting the shore to 16,000 a day between Sundays and Fridays and 12,000 on Saturdays.

However, Juneau’s city assembly is also considering a municipal vote in October that may ban cruise ships from docking on Saturday.

A proponent of what has been coined “ship-free Saturdays,” Karla Hart, an organizer for the group pushing for a ban on Saturdays, noted that she is “fighting to bring some” of what “Juneau used to be” back.

Hart added that if residents received one day a week, they’d be “happier and healthier.”

However, businesses in the region oppose such a limit, as they rely heavily on tourism to support them.

Laura McDonnell, who owns Caribou Crossings, a gift shop in downtown Juneau, highlighted that businesses are also vital to the community and suggested residents consider “what’s at stake” for the local economy.

The cruise industry injects $375 million a year in direct investment into Juneau, most of which comes through passenger spending. It has also had a strong rebound since the pandemic, with a record-making 1.6 million cruise passengers visiting Juneau in 2023.

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