Building Solutions Through Community and Cruise Collaboration

Travelers from around the world take cruises to experience the natural beauty and cultural heritage of treasured destinations, such as Sitka. CLIA member lines are committed to responsible tourism, with destination stewardship as a key component. By partnering with communities, city officials, ports and other key stakeholders, we engage in ongoing direct dialogue to protect the local way of life while also ensuring high-quality visitor experiences and providing a predictable market for the many local businesses that rely on cruise tourism. The cruise industry is committed to safeguarding these experiences for generations to come and will continue to work with the City and Borough of Sitka (CBS) and local stakeholders. 

Below are examples of solution minded actions at the local level to responsibly manage cruise tourism in Sitka.

Sitka Tourism Task Force

As tourism has grown in Sitka, a Tourism Task Force was established to support the community’s transition to long-term tourism management. The Task Force had five main directives to evaluate and make recommendations on:

  • Levels of tourism in Sitka 
  • Annual review cycle of CBS operations and tourism funding
  • Development of a Tourism Management Best Practices (TMBP) program
  • Land use regulations and waterfront development policies
  • Regional strategies to advance Sitka’s interest regarding cruise tourism


The Tourism Task Force presented 32 recommendations to the Sitka Assembly which were adopted, along with the corresponding Action Plan, by the Assembly on May 16, 2024.

Final Tourism Task Force Recommendations

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Action Plan for Tourism Task Force Recommendations

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To learn more about the Task Force, visit https://www.cityofsitka.com/TourismTaskForce.

Following the adoption of the Task Force’s recommendations, a Tourism Commission was created in August 2024 to advise the Assembly on Sitka’s visitor industry. Members were appointed in October 2024.

To learn more about the Tourism Commission, visit https://www.cityofsitka.com/TourismCommission.

Local Action and Solutions

When communities and business owners know in advance the number of visitors arriving each day, they can better plan for tourism. Whether it’s expanding existing offerings or launching new businesses, Sitkans now have a clearer picture of expected visitation thanks to local dock owner Chris McGraw, who worked with the City and Borough of Sitka to establish a Memorandum of Understanding setting cruise passenger thresholds.  

Under the agreement, Saturdays are designated as a “quiet day” with fewer than 1,250 passengers while other days have a 7,000-passenger ceiling based on lower berth capacity. This builds on other measures McGraw has implemented to mitigate cruise ship impacts, such as staggering arrival times, expanding shore experiences to disperse visitors, and reducing bus traffic.  

Additionally, the CBS has been implementing its tourism plan to address challenges, develop solutions, and guide decision-making based on Task Force recommendations.  

City and Borough of Sitka and Sitka Dock Company LLC sign Memorandum of Understanding

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Tourism Best Management Practices (TBMP)

What began in Juneau in 1997 has grown into a renowned program now modeled in port communities across Southeast Alaska, Whittier, Maine, and even international destinations. 

TBMP is a collaborative effort among local tour operators, cruise lines, transportation services, retailers, hospitality businesses, tour brokers, and government agencies to minimize tourism’s impacts while addressing concerns from both residents and the industry. 

Sitka now has its own TBMP program, tailored by the Sitka Tourism Task Force based on public feedback and community needs. By participating in this voluntary program, operators demonstrate their commitment to addressing community concerns. The program helps identify issues, develop solutions, and maintain residents’ quality of life while ensuring a great visitor experience. 

Economic Impact

Tourism provides a significant economic boost to the Sitka community. Visitors spend money throughout the community, supporting small businesses, tour operators, and families whose livelihoods depend on cruise tourism. In turn, these businesses and residents contribute to local charities, organizations, and essential services such as grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, helping to sustain the broader community. 

Cruise Line Contributions in the Sitka Community

Ship Events & Environmental Tours: Cruise lines and their shipboard teams welcome local groups, students and teachers, the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce, local and state officials, businesses, and more—onboard for ship tours and events. These events provide educational opportunities on how ships operate and showcase the many career paths available in the cruise industry. They also support local fundraisers benefiting various organizations.

Environmental tours highlight the ships’ advanced environmental technologies, sustainable practices, and innovations, demonstrating the industry’s commitment to protecting the oceans and the communities it visits. 

Norwegian Bliss hosted a career day onboard for local high school students. In addition to getting a behind the scenes tour, students learned about ship operations, entertainment, and culinary careers. An added bonus was a trip to the buffet!

Royal Caribbean Group hosted local students onboard to learn about careers in maritime. 

Sitka’s Emerging Leaders were treated to a one-of-a-kind experience with lunch and a ship tour onboard the Crown Princess.

Royal Caribbean Group proudly supports Sitka Trail Works. Here is their shipboard team walking the Cruise Ship Connector.

Community Support

CLIA and our member cruise lines partner with the community in many ways. We are proud to support these Sitka organizations:

  • Alaska Arts Southeast
  • Alaska Raptor Center
  • Betty Eliason Child Care Center
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters
  • Fortress of the Bear
  • Greater Sitka Arts Council
  • Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce
  • Pioneer Home
  • Revitalize Sitka
  • Salvation Army
  • SEARHC
  • Sitka Alaska Sesquicentennial Celebration
  • Sitka Community Hospital
  • Sitka Economic Development Association – Brewfest
  • Sitka High School Baseball Team
  • Sitka High School Holiday Shootout
  • Sitka Historical Society
  • Sitka Jazz Festival
  • Sitka Pioneer Home
  • Sitka Scholarship Program
  • Sitka Seafood Festival
  • Sitka Sound Science Center
  • Sitka Trail Works
  • Sitka Tribe of Alaska
  • Sitkans Against Family Violence
  • Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL)
  • Visit Sitka

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About Cruise Lines International Association

As the leading authority of the cruise industry, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) provides a unified voice for the global cruise community, which includes the world’s most prestigious ocean, river, and specialty cruise lines; an expansive group of maritime leaders who provide technical expertise, products and services to the cruise sector; leading ports, destinations, shipyards; and the largest network of travel professionals who specialize in cruise travel.

Together with our members and partners, CLIA supports policies and practices that foster safe, healthy and sustainable cruise operations; tourism strategies that maximize the socio-economic benefits of cruise travel for communities; and technologies and innovations that are helping advance the global fleet of cruise ships to be more energy efficient and environmentally focused than ever before.

CLIA’s global headquarters are in Washington, DC, with regional offices located in North and South America, Europe, the UK and Ireland, and Australasia.

https://cruising.org

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