"Meilani Schijvens"

For the first time ever, tourism was Southeast Alaska’s number one wage provider in 2023.

Juneau, the state’s leading cruise ship port, tallied 1.65 million passengers on ship manifests, a 23% bump from 2019.

Hoonah’s tiny outlying communities like Elfin Cove, population 24, and Game Creek, population 23, would be included in the new borough’s boundaries.

“It’s a major footprint. And then we also have people who work for the Coast Guard who are not active duty,” she said. “It does end up being a significant economic driver in the community.”

The number of cruise ship tourists is expected to be near pre-pandemic levels in 2023.

The shining star of the 2021 economy was the seafood sector, which was Southeast’s top private sector wage provider for the first time since 2015.

Ironman Alaska finishers Richard Secretaria and Joseph Paray figure that, between themselves and their significant others, they spent around $8,000 on their trip.

Restaurants generally operate on thin profit margins, so they’re especially sensitive to changes in their food prices.

Businesses in Petersburg responding to an annual survey say they lost nearly half of their revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic and laid off 9% of their workforce.

The tourism industry is on an undeniable rebound, but only some businesses are returning to profitability.