Visitor numbers to Alaska were nearly flat last summer following a dip in cruise ship traffic, an unusual plateau for an industry that typically sees solid growth.
The state saw just 4,000 more tourists last summer, compared to the previous year, according to a new report commissioned by the Alaska Travel Industry Association.
That’s a bump of 0.1% percent, in a total of 2.7 million visitors.
“A flat season is OK, I guess,” Jillian Simpson, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association, said in an interview this week.
“It’s not great,” she said. “Certainly it feels like there’s an opportunity for tourism to be growing in Alaska. But it wasn’t a decline. And so that feels like a win.”
Early season last June, some operators reported slightly slower bookings in some sectors, such as international visitors, amid geopolitical and economic concerns caused by President Donald Trump’s global trade wars and rhetoric.
The leveling off in visitor numbers is unusual for the industry, she said.
“We’ve been on a steady trend of growth for several years,” she said, not counting the COVID-related downturn in 2020 when cruise ships to Alaska were canceled.
Also potentially affecting the summer tourism numbers: The group had less marketing funding to reach potential visitors, she said.
That money dropped after the group had used a COVID-related $5 million federal grant the previous year.
Alaska saw about 1.8 million travelers arrive by cruise ship last year, a decrease of 0.4% from the year earlier, the report said.
About 900,000 travelers arrived by air, an increase of 0.8%.
Less than 100,000 people arrived by highway or ferry.
While most cruise guests visit Southeast communities, about a quarter of them travel to Seward and Whittier, delivering visitors to Anchorage.
That cross-gulf cruise traffic fell 5% from the year before, the report said.
That likely had to do with how cruise lines allocated their ships last year, Simpson said.
The cross-gulf numbers are expected to rise this summer, in part because a new dock in Seward will be available to handle larger ships, she said.
Anchorage bed tax revenues, a tourism indicator, were down last summer, compared to a year earlier, the report said.
The annual income fell to $45 million, falling more than $4 million from the year before, an 8% drop.
Hotel demand for Anchorage last summer was a bit softer compared to the year before, said Jack Bonney with Visit Anchorage, the city’s tourism bureau.
But that trend has recently reversed, with growth in January up from the year before.
Hotel supply was tight last year, with some renovations underway and some hotels in recent years coming off the tourism market.
But the situation for hotel supply has started to shift, too, with growth in that area, he said.
For example, a 141-room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel has planned to open its doors in spring in Midtown, at 4960 A St.
Cross-gulf cruise ship capacity is also expected to grow this summer by 10% to 15%, he said.
That should also help boost visitor numbers, Bonney said.
Advance hotel bookings for so far this year are showing positive signs, he said.
“It appears that, at least for advanced bookings, at the same time last year, we’re ahead of the game,” he said.
WHEREAS, all Alaskans have the right to safety and justice, and the rates of missing and murdered Indigenous persons (MMIP) represent a crisis that is actively being addressed; and
WHEREAS, Alaska Native women are overrepresented in the domestic violence victim population by 250 percent, and although Alaska Natives comprise 19 percent of Alaska’s population, they represent 47 percent of the State’s reported rape victims; and
WHEREAS, the call for a greater response to the MMIP led to increased communication between tribal communities and State agencies in an effort to better understand the scope of the issue; and
WHEREAS, the State of Alaska now has four MMIP investigators, two tribal liaisons, and dedicates significant resources to address these cases and work with the family members of missing and murdered persons; and
WHEREAS, in 2024 I signed legislation that further moves Alaska’s response forward with mandatory entry of missing persons into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, and requires that the State employ MMIP investigators, and requires that all current and future Alaska law enforcement officers attend cultural diversity training with an emphasis on MMIP; and
WHEREAS, the State of Alaska is committed to continuing its efforts to work with Alaska Tribes in combatting this crisis and offering support to communities and families.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2026, as:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Day
in Alaska and encourage all Alaskans to recognize the elevated rates of missing and murdered Indigenous persons and support law enforcement, victim advocacy, and the efforts of Alaska Native Tribes to work with State, local, and other entities working together toward solutions.
Dated: May 5, 2026
The letter, from Director of White House Intergovernmental Affairs Alex Meyer, underscores federal recognition of Alaska’s efforts to modernize its tax framework for liquefied natural gas (LNG) development and highlights the importance of these reforms to advancing American energy security and economic growth.
In the letter Meyer said, “Given the scale and complexity of AKLNG, a stable and competitive policy environment is critical to the project’s success. Clear and predictable tax policy will improve feasibility, attract private investment, and help secure final commitments. This approach promotes job creation, expanded economic activity, and durable public revenue.”
“Alaska has long been a cornerstone of America’s energy future, and this support from the White House affirms the importance of getting our LNG tax policy right,” said Governor Dunleavy. “HB 381 and SB 280 provide a clear, predictable, and competitive structure that will help unlock Alaska’s vast natural gas resources, create jobs, and deliver long-term benefits for our state and the nation.”
The volumetric LNG tax bills establish a straightforward tax system based on the volume of gas produced, offering greater certainty to investors and developers and ensuring Alaskans benefit from a secure, low-cost supply of energy.
Governor Dunleavy emphasized that alignment between state and federal leadership is critical to advancing major energy infrastructure projects like Alaska LNG.
“We appreciate the Administration’s recognition of the role Alaska can play in strengthening domestic energy production and supporting our allies abroad,” Dunleavy added.
The Governor continues to work with members of the Alaska Legislature, industry stakeholders, and federal partners to move these bills forward and position Alaska as a global leader in LNG development.
An Alaska woman is accusing the Alaska Department of Public Safety, two Alaska State Troopers and the A&E Television Network of compromising her privacy and safety as a confidential informant after they filmed an arrest without her consent.
The woman, identified in the filings as Jane Doe, says that she received death threats after she was a confidential informant whose information led to an arrest that was filmed and later aired on the Alaska State Troopers reality show.
Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Claire Stremple for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com.
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