(Jillian Rogers)

Southeast Conference’s eponymous Southeast Conference is underway in Sitka. It just released its “by the numbers” report for the region. It foresees an uptick in cruise ship passengers, but Haines Economic Development Council thinks the future might not be as bright on one side of the Canal.

Southeast Conference hosts an annual meeting to discuss economics in the region. According to this years report, cruise ship passenger numbers will increase next year.

Skagway should see an increase of more than 25,000 cruise ship visitors next year. That’s a 12% increase from 2018.

They also projected an increase for Haines. But that doesn’t take into account recent news from the Haines Borough Manager that Holland and Princess cruise lines will not port in Haines next year. Those lines carry about three quarters of the cruise ship passengers that dock there.

Haines Economic Development Council Executive Director Margaret Friendenhauer says that change was unexpected.

“Unexpected in the sense that we don’t even know what’s going to happen yet. Or what the impact could potentially be,” said Friendenhauer from Sitka.

By her calculations, the borough will see a 53% decrease in cruise ship passengers next year. That about 37,000 fewer tourists.

“It’s gonna be a big hit next summer,” she said.

She says tour companies aren’t the only ones who will feel the effects.

“It’s a huge impact on all of our local merchants as well. A lot of times people take a tour in the morning and then spend the afternoon walking around downtown Haines or Fort Seward buying stuff [and] eating at locally owned businesses,” she said.

Overall, the report finds that cruise passengers in Southeast Alaska are up 65% since 2010. Much of that is due to Icy Strait Point in Hoonah nearly doubling its passengers next year. They will host more than 400,000 cruise ship tourists next year.

 

This report was brought to you with help from CoastAlaska’s Jacob Resneck at the Southeast Conference.