Alaska's capital and cruise lines ink a deal to restrict daily tourist numbers

Juneau, Alaska, and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) made a deal to limit the number of cruise passengers arriving in Juneau. The agreement sets a cap of 16,000 passengers on most days and 12,000 on Saturdays starting in 2026. This is because last year, a record 1.6 million visitors came to Juneau after two slow years due to the pandemic. Other cities like Venice, Italy, have also restricted tourists to protect residents' daily lives. The goal of this agreement is to keep the number of visitors at a manageable level. Residents in Alaska have complained about too many tourists causing traffic and noise pollution. However, local businesses depend on tourism for income. To balance these concerns, only five large ships are allowed per day this cruise season. Juneau is also working on projects like a gondola, sea walk updates, and more visitor space at the Mendenhall Glacier area to reduce the impact of tourists. Some people doubt if this agreement will be effective in controlling tourism growth. They worry that the city will keep expanding, causing more issues. A critic named Karla Hart is pushing for "ship free Saturdays" to limit cruise ships on certain days. This proposal may appear on the October ballot if approved. Sitka, another small community, is also discussing how to manage tourism numbers.