Residents of Juneau, Alaska, are fighting “overtourism” by proposing a vote to limit cruise ships docking in the city, bringing criticism from local business owners. NBC News’ Ellison Barber speaks with locals about these tourism concerns.
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#Alaska #Tourism #Juneau
Rift raft can travel the world now…lol
One day Biloxi MS will put millions of dollars into a cruise terminal and tourist district while places like Juneau AK will ask where did all the tourism money go?
This is hilarious. I wonder if the Native Americans felt the same way.
I took an Alaska cruise, and now I hear this, and I feel for the residents. They should be able to stop the cruises. 🥰
Such great people are not aware how annoying they really are
Was in Alaska on a cruise in August 2023 and going back June 2025. See ya soon !
Well same at new York city
Took my daughter on an Alaskan cruise last summer and we stopped in Juneau. Glad we had a chance to experience it before they try and stop cruise ships porting there all together.
Just don’t go to these anti-tourism countries. Tons of cheaper alternatives that are doing everything to attract tourists to boost local economies.
So just so I understood this, too many tourist spending billions and leaving is horrible, too many illegal immigrants staying and spending up city budgets is aaaokay?
I do understand their concern so , I guess they won’t be getting any of my money then 😂
I’m sure the indigenous American people thought colonization was bad, and Europeans didn’t care. Interesting.
Why do white people love to live in isolation? They fight being around people always yearning for the small town thing of the past. That’s what that woman means. They remember what Juno used to be. A small isolated town. There is soon much of rural America being allowed to decide how the rest of us lives. I hope the locals in Juno push back and keep the tourist coming. It’s not like these people are coming commiting crime. They’re investing in your local economy.
Same old story…. the older population wants things as they used to be failing to understand the reality that places that survive and prosper due tourism will parish without it. Stores would go bankrupt, services would decline or stop altogether, property values would nosedive, and the working class would be forced to move away in search of gainful employment.
They won’t parish. They didn’t parish for generations before.
I think it’s gross to turn your community into a tourist addicted economy. They don’t have to do that.
@@ingridfitz5677I think the point they’re making is don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater in regards to addressing overtourism problems.
I’m a young Alaskan, and I’m definitely more open to tourism than my parents, but the volume has gotten insane. On some days the cruise ship visitors outnumber the residents (more than 9,000). My main concern though is that there is a loss of control. The municipal government and residents no directly involved in the tourism industry are seeing very little benefit, but are having their lives significantly disrupted. We need to reassert control over the industry to capture more value from it.
Isn’t there some way that the taxpayers in the city could benefit by fees charged by the cities to the boats?
Illiterate American writing “parish.” Laughing in English as my third language. It’s “perish.” BTW, I just lived in hole where tourism level is at overtouriam levels. I moved to a city with almost no tourism at all. I changed professions so I don’t have to work in tourism. In that little silly town, not a single restaurant or hole in the wall for locals to enjoy. None of the natural beauty enjoyable either, literally lines of people hiking. I said, nah, moved to no-tourism place that is considered a bs place to live. Best decision ever – everything for locals. Life quality improved manyfold.
And Elon Musk says the world does have enough people😂😂😂😂
I respect the rights of the Juneau citizens to decide which city they want as there’s both a downside and an upside either way they vote. The folks who live there should clearly know all of the true financial impacts before they make their decision…
8 billion of us and counting… Going to take more than just a limit to these places
8Billion of us in this planet, even the mountains are overcrowded! But this is it, the world will get a few more billion of us soon.
Whiners
When cruise ships started going to Alaska back in the 80s they only had 500 to 700 people on board. Today it’s 3000 to 5000 people Per ship and now its not just not 1 ship it’s 2,3 or 4 at a time.
I’m from Florida, if it wasn’t for tourist visiting i would be paying state taxes so please keep on coming.
Really? People complaining about tourists and cruise ships? Go live in a deserted island.
they crying during covid because no money.
People in tourist economies when tourism exists 😡😡🤬🤬
How to Vote for a recession…then the Advertising Agency will be hired to Promote…wink wink … Control your Access smartly 😮 Only Billionaires will be able to Visit
How many little junky tourist stores do you need?
Sure a few will close but if you opened a business to sell crap to tourists there should be a limit on that.
Beautiful small town places are not there for a Disneyland like tourist ambiance. These are real communities that do not exist for the purpose of tourism.
Isn’t the likely consequence that cruise traffic just ends up being condensed into the other 6 days a week, making it even less pleasant more of the time? This comes off as a homegrown idea that sounds good to voters on paper but doesn’t actually improve a complex problem.
Now they know how the indigenous people feel
Blaming too much tourist for their problems. Blaming not enough tourist for their problems.
Everybody needs to stay home. I HATE TOURISTS!
I recently watched a John Oliver episode that talked about Hawaii and how bad the natives have it there. Makes me wonder how long until they start making similar protests
They want the money from tourism but they do t want the people…sounds like they need to rebalance their economy
Nothing screams Alaska natives like a white woman
Lucky, not to long ago I just came back from Alasakaian cruise! Unforgettable!
It’s so funny . Just replace the word tourist with migrant . Problem solved and the migrants don’t even have to pay anymore you pay for them to come sleep and eat it’s a win win .
Send those cruise ships tourists to New Orleans, they welcome everyone, city can host millions.
The number of cruise ships allowed is insane! Unlike Norway, cruise ships make very limited stops in Alaska adding to the congestion.
Liberals: Build bridges not walls, all are welcome! WAIT! I DIDN’T MEAN MY TOWN!
I’ve been on a cruise to Alaska last year. This is interesting because the economies of the port cities almost completely rely on tourists…
Why blame the tourist? Blame yourselves for voting your leaders 😅
I don’t get it though. You live at a tourist attraction area. Then you complain when too many of them come. That’s like when people buy a house by the airport and then complain about the noise when the flight ramps up during peak season.
Good news Alaskans. I just canceled my Regent cruise I had booked for next summer. While I am not sure how much I would have spent in your state, I am hopeful thousands of others will watch this news story, and, cumulatively, give you the peace and quiet you seek.
The problem isn’t tourism in general, the problem is that the tourist industry doesn’t regulate itself and doesn’t care about its impact on the local population. In many tourist hotspots the locals are finding themself being pushed out more and more by the increasing number of tourists. Local businesses increase prices to make more money off the tourists increasing costs for the locals as well. Landlords are catering to tourists more and more (ex. expensive,short-term rentals) leaving locals unable to afford the rising housing costs.
Juneau is facing the same over tourism that the Greek island Santorini found itself in when they found themselves overrun with tourists with more tourists are coming in than they could sustainably handle. It was calculated that Santorini can sustainably handle no more than 8,000/day but this summer numbers went as high as 11,000. Like Santorini, much of Juneau’s needs are supplied by sea and too many tourists means that additional shipments needs to be made increasing their cost of living.
The proposed solution seems problematic. After all what happens if a ship is delayed because of weather and arrives on a Saturday instead of on Thursday or Friday? Are they not allowed to dock? Not to mention that isn’t really going to help with the overall problem – too many tourists. Cruise lines would schedule their arrival on different days and Juneau would still be overrun. Santorini is looking to place a limit on how many cruise ships dock, Juneau might need to implement something similar.
So … it’s better to shut down business and lay off workers in a slumping economy than allow tourists ?
What ?
I thought the economy sucked. But yet all this excessive traveling? Here come the excuse makers for corporations.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Either you want to tourist and the money they bring in, or go back to subsistence fishing for survival.
honestly, closing just one extra day a week to cruise ships sounds like a great idea. businesses can profit mon-fri, and then locals can enjoy their day off in a calmer space. not sure why the one guy is acting like saturdays shouldnt be considered a weekend for the town.
People in Alaska are losers anyways
Wait til taxes go up for this local residents once tourism are limited
You all to selfish
It’s the boomers.
If they only knew how much revenue tourism brings to their communities..
American tourists are on a rampage ☠️☠️
I do not travel anymore.
Who the heck wants to stand in long lines and crowds ?
That is not fun.
You won’t stand in long lines if you’re prepared and get to things early.
So u have a Karan who doesn’t need a job, sitting on the sidelines wanted to destroy the only economic benefit the area has. Without tourism the town would be empty.
1 day a week is a good idea. It gives the locals a break. That is healthy. A 1 day hit financially wont impact them that much.
Alaska is always causing problems… Alaska needs to be sanctioned and Alaska should have its federal funding withheld permanently until Alaska changes its attitude.
This is a decade overdue. You should see what happens in Haines. The normal population is around 1500. The cruise ships have more employees than that.
What about the local businesses? The economy of the city? Smh
Over population in this world!
These places cant afford to loose tourisim it needs economy and the jobs it creates and money. ‘overtourism’ in ALASKA ? i AM 100% SURE, THAT putin´s FSB is behind many of these anti – tourism ” activists “
At least these places aren’t a small chain of islands in the middle of the pacific with a history of overtourism at all seasons of the year displacing indigenous people
Dear Juneau, Alaska. You will go bankrupt without tourists.
Its the state capitol, so actually it won’t.
Never understood cruises to Alaska. What is there to see other than snow and ice?
Natural beauty, wild life, etc.
Is there anything worse than being brought cash by the ship load?
I’ve got my little piece of paradise and no one else can visit. That’s what these people sound like. By that same mentality hope that they never go on vacation.
We want your money…… but not you. So just ban tourists period. Within a year or so of not getting all that money they’ll change their minds.
I wonder where this “activist” who hates tourists travels to. We are all tourists at some point in our lives!
That’s not true. I have never left my city and I’m 45 years old. Not one time have a travelled outside of it. No need to.
The cruise ships should just stop going to Alaska all together.
That’s not how it works.
As an Alaskan, 90% of Alaskans want and need the tourism
I completely agree.
Humans are never satisfied. Tourism creates jobs without them no jobs.
I disagree
Boomers are having issues with tourists? Hahaha they don’t like it. Oh well. Businesses need tourism. However I’m for the Whales!!!!
The problem is us Americans that don’t give a crap about the places we are visiting. We still throw gum wrappers on the ground.
Their idiots 🙄
And yet once tourism is banned then these places will beg for income
Those cruise ships are so big now, I can see why ppl get frustrated. A herd of passengers at once.
Sadly, Can’t have it all …especially when economy depends on tourism
Its the state capital. It doesn’t depend on tourism to survive.
@@shawnbell6392 all countries and states need revenue from something for their economy.
just shutup and be happy money is coming straight to you make an opportunity out of it rather then complain
I just watched a video that said Alaska is the least visited state. Living in a state with some of the highest tourism (Utah) I’d say get over it and enjoy the economy it brings.
Fat people on a huge boat
GOOD!
SMH
Let’s limit the money the city makes from port fees and tourest income for these small towns… some people just shouldn’t walk out of their house man..
Money is what makes the world go round
Yep
The cruise industry brings in all this money, sure, but at what *cost?*
Happy to oblige. Alaska is no longer on my bucket list. There are so many other places in this great big beautiful world I will enjoy visiting.
Cruise ships are objectively awful. They should be banned
People who put a ban on tourists are just destroying their own economy. It will be irreversible if the tourists don’t come back and these countries will have to apologize, but I doubt it can fix the tears these people have already made.
Wow that’s horrible! So much money injected into these small towns.
I’ve been to Alaska 3 times on a cruise and 1 on a massive road trip from the lower 48. When I went to the tourist ports during the no cruise ship days, places were actually closed. When I spoke with a local, they didn’t mind the downtime, but also couldn’t wait to make money.
Why complain ? Open the boarder, invite everyone and don’t forget that some of us is trying to have no ID required to vote !
Double standards! Seriously dumb 😂😂
Other than tourism and oil what kind of revenue streams does Alaska have?
Overtourism = You hate foreigners and business
White people tired of seeing other white people?? You don’t say!! I don’t believe it!!
spain being upset at tourists telling them to go home is rich considering their history of… staying in places away from home longer than they should have
Some city out there will take that money. Remember covid when no one could travel..these cities cried for money.
I’ll gladly give my money to a city that wants it.
Alaska is a state. How can you limit us citizens from visiting?
They thrived through tourism. Without it, back to fishing ?
Don’t matter what you vote for. Someone in more power than you is making $$$$. And they will keep making it.
I‘ve been to Barcelona & Sintra this summer🫣🫣
To the people who want to limit tourism need to think about this very carefully. There are a lot of jobs at stake, people need to feed their families, pay bills, etc most of them are living paycheck to paycheck. Tourism is needed to keep the economy going, limited tourism will be disastrous to a lot of people including “YOU” and members of your family who work in hotels, restaurants, stage performers, uber drivers and so on.