Cruise industry, Denali visitor economy, aurora tourism, guided hunting/fishing tourism, head tax and bed tax fights
Juneau citizens got a 1% seasonal sales tax to the brink of the ballot. The Assembly has 45 days to pass it or let voters do it.

A pregnant fin whale that died of a vessel strike was found on a Royal Caribbean ship's bow near Seward. Investigators haven't said which vessel struck it.

Alaska has more parkland than any state. A House panel advanced a renewed fund to chip at a $46B repair backlog — after a scrap over a foreign-tourist fee.

Juneau's spent 20 years building a waterfront path it still can't finish. Now it wants the stretch to the far cruise dock. Mind the gap.

Allen Marine posted 21 jobs in Juneau across vessel operations, hospitality, and shore support ahead of cruise season, from entry-level deckhand roles to lodge manager and executive chef positions.

Huna Totem Corporation, the Alaska Native village corporation for Hoonah, is expanding its cruise business by adding its own vessels to a fleet that already operates ports across Southeast Alaska.

Two cruise ships will bring 2,578 passengers to Kodiak in late June, with Crystal Symphony docking June 21 and Noordam on June 23, each staying nine hours while local tourism organizes downtown welcome events and vendor markets.

Finance Committee cuts Travel Juneau marketing budget by 400,000 dollars, dropping funding 31 percent to close city deficit. • Executive director warns cut will remove Juneau from visitor marketplace for two to three years. • Full Assembly votes on budget June 8, must decide by June 15.

Huna Totem Corporation signed a tideland lease with Juneau in April for Oak Landing, a fifth downtown cruise dock expected to open in 2028 and reduce the 95 ships currently forced to anchor each summer.
Fairbanks organizers are pursuing state funding to host the 2028 Arctic Winter Games after quickly raising initial funds, with support from local officials and the potential for significant economic impact.
Sitka launches a voluntary tourism management program Wednesday to guide cruise operators and businesses on managing visitor impacts during peak season, capping daily arrivals at 7,000 passengers.

A House panel kept a $100 surcharge on foreign park visitors — $400 for a family of four. Alaska's gateway towns, which live on summer tourists, are watching.
