‘We call summer ‘Christmas’': Financial boost of tourism season back on Anchorage streets

Tourists are back in downtown Anchorage. Wednesday, many were visiting from the three cruise ships that docked in Whitter.
Published: May 21, 2025 at 6:27 PM AKDT
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Tourists are back in downtown Anchorage in full force. On Wednesday, many were visiting from the three cruise ships that docked in Whitter.

According to Visit Anchorage, the city is anticipating a tourism season similar to years prior.

“Summer, in general, for visitation both cruise ship and independent travel looks pretty solid, albeit with a lot of mixed signals at the national and international level right now,” Jack Bonney with Visit Anchorage said. “We’re kind of back where we were or slightly above where we were pre-pandemic.”

According to Visit Anchorage, 40% of Alaska’s tourists come from cruise ships, while the rest are from independent travelers.

Bonney added that people visiting Anchorage spend between $900 to $1,500 during their trip.

“Internally, we call summer ‘Christmas,’ because every guest that comes to Alaska is a gift,” Cyrus Aldeman, the CEO of Anchorage Trolley Tours, said.

Summer tourism revenue is critical for all different industries in the city, Aldeman said.

“When people come to Alaska, they don’t just go to the gift shops. They don’t just ride trolley tours, they don’t just go on tours,” Aldeman said. “Tourists bring in revenue for all types of industries.”

A downtown business told Alaska’s News Source on Wednesday that it depends on the revenue generated by tourism to keep the lights on.

“We save a lot a lot of money for the winter, working the summers, and the tourists really give us that opportunity to be able to do so,” Michael Bialy, one of the managers of Red Umbrella Reindeer, said. “You go to Philly and you get a Philly cheese steak, right? You come to Alaska, you get a reindeer hotdog.”

During the winter months, Bialy said, the food cart is only open on Friday and Saturday, but during the summer, he said the cart is open seven days a week.

“Even on rainy days where normally locals will kind of stay inside and not really want to come out, the tourists kind of pay to be here, right? So they’re going to get like the most of their money’s worth,” Bialy said.

Anchorage saw one cruise ship dock in early May that brought around 2,100 visitors to town. Alaska’s largest city is expecting to see its next cruise ship dock in its port by June 25.

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