Alaska’s travel industry is looking to boost independent traveler numbers now that the cruise industry has fully recovered from the pandemic, says ATIA’s Jillian Simpson. “65% of our visitors are on a cruise ship & 35% of them are traveling independently.” bit.ly/4dY1qEC

Our very own Renee Limoge Reeve provided a cruise industry update to the RDC for Alaska crowd including the groundbreaking efforts taken by the cruise industry to create a balance between a growing number of visitors and resident needs.

Check out the article in this month’s Alaska Business Magazine on how cruise ship operators that call on Alaska are investing in the year-round economy, including training employees through Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute courses. More here. bit.ly/3XVBB2U

Goldbelt and Royal Caribbean Group teamed up to install additional Starlink terminals in the core of downtown Juneau. “This project will help locals and visitors have a better internet experience every day of the week," said McHugh Pierre, Goldbelt's president.

Congratulations Whittier on your new cruise dock and terminal! The project is a collaboration with the City of Whittier, Huna Totem Corporation and the Alaska Railroad. NCLH will dock there in 2025. More: bit.ly/4eGaSNn

Carnival Cruise Line declared its commitment to Alaska’s environmental sustainability by donating $50,000 to the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund to provide low-income households heat pumps, an emission-free heating system. More here: bit.ly/4eCXLMC

Cruise lines, tourism businesses & the DBA made big donations to flood relief efforts in Juneau & the SE Alaska Food Bank. CBJ’s Alix Pierce said, “Recovery will take time, and these contributions will make a recognizable difference in helping families get back on their feet."

Disney Cruise Line supported Spruce Root’s Path to Prosperity Business Competition Boot Camp for businesses that have a positive envt’l, economic & community impact on SE AK. In addition, Disney Institute hosted a virtual course based on the company’s approach to quality service.

Renee Limoge Reeve participated in the Visitor Industry panel at Southeast Conference’s annual meeting, highlighting the importance of the cruise industry to SE and how the industry works with communities to keep it sustainable.

The Southeast AK by the Numbers report is out. Tourism took the #1 spot in 2023 as the largest economic sector with a 44% increase in wages & 1700 new year-round equiv. jobs. Tourism continues to be a bright spot in Alaska’s economy!

CLIA Alaska was pleased to carry Alaska’s story to D.C. last week where more than 100 Alaskans from 16 organizations participated in “Alaska on the Hill,” advocating for a healthy Alaska economy and a secure future for America.

Thank you to the community officials throughout Southeast Alaska who took the time to attend meetings and speak with us. We believe that cooperation and collaboration are the best ways to keep these ports and the state a great place to visit – and a great place to live.

Southcentral greeted its first cruise ship of the season April 26, kicking off its busiest season ever as Seward greets 88 ships, Whittier 73, Valdez 40, Homer 12 and Anchorage 6. This is the first full season for Huna Totem Corp’s dock in Whittier, pictured below.

771 miles separate the two most popular national parks in Alaska. In 2024, Glacier Bay in Southeast hosted more than 700,000 visitors, with even more scheduled this year. In the Interior, majestic Denali greeted 466,000 visitors.

Juneau was the first port in the world to offer shore power more than 20 years ago. Today, additional projects are underway throughout Alaska, including Seward. Shore power is good for cruise, good for the community and good for our environment.

Cruise ships visit all regions of our state – and the visitors they bring make a $4.5 billion-dollar economic splash, supporting thousands of Alaska jobs. In the Capital City alone, cruise passengers spent $320 million dollars, supporting all parts of the economy.

Although Alaska's visitor industry has been organized since 1950 as the Alaska Visitors Association, the Alaska Travel Industry Association was formed in 2000 as Alaska’s official destination marketing organization. Happy 25th, ATIA. You’re doing a great job!

A hearty congratulations to the Binkley family on the 75th anniversary of the Riverboat Discovery. The family's steamboating tradition spans five generations, beginning in 1898 when Charles M. Binkley moved to Alaska to establish a navigation company along the Yukon River.

Visit Anchorage released its 2024 annual report – and anyway you look at it, the numbers are rosy. Air traffic up 3.6%. Cruise capacity holding strong. Tourist spending +13%. $118M in meetings and conventions. Here’s the full report: youtube.com/watch?v=G4F-W5…

Cruise lines are leading the way toward a more sustainable future, investing in innovative technologies like new engines that offer fuel flexibility. This season the Silver Nova became the 1st cruise ship ever to refuel with LNG in Vancouver. More: bit.ly/45CD8iC