Alaska stands as one of the world’s premier wilderness tourism destinations—vast landscapes, glaciers, wildlife, and remote frontier experience.
The tourism industry has rebounded strongly post-pandemic, with the state’s latest visitor volumes setting new records.
For the 12-month period from May 2024 to April 2025, Alaska welcomed an estimated 3.08 million out-of-state visitors, the highest on record.
Key Stats: Alaska Tourism
- 3.3 million visitors to Alaska’s national parks in 2023, spending about US$1.5 billion and supporting over 21,000 jobs — a major economic engine.
- 2.70 million out-of-state visitors in summer 2024, a slight year-on-year rise, showing the state’s sustained appeal.
- Two-thirds of summer visitors (66%) arrive by cruise ship, highlighting the dominance of the cruise segment.
- 48,000 Alaskans employed in tourism in 2023, underlining the sector’s role in jobs and livelihoods.
- US$3.9 billion in direct visitor spending and US$5.6 billion total impact (2022-23) — tourism punches above its weight.
- Visitors stay for an average of 8.5 nights, reflecting the depth of most trips rather than quick visits.
- The cruise market alone counted ~1.65 million passengers in 2023, with 2024 set to be similarly strong.
- Cruise share of total visits climbed from 65% to 66% in 2024, signalling steady growth in that segment.
- While cruise and highway/ferry visitor numbers rose slightly, air visitor numbers dipped (~1.5%) in summer 2024, hinting at shifting visitor mix.
- With over 3 million visitors in 2024, Alaska welcomed more than four times its resident population in “must-see” tourists — a powerful indicator of its tourism draw.
How Many Tourists Visit Alaska Each Year?
Alaska’s latest total of ~3.08 million visitors (May 2024–Apr 2025) reflects about a +1.1% increase over the prior season.
Historically:
- Summer 2024 (May–Sept) alone: ~2.70 million visitors (~2.1% increase vs 2023).
- Winter 2024–25 (Oct–Apr): ~376,300 visitors.
How Many Tourists Visit Alaska Each Day?
With ~3.08 million visitors over a 12-month span, the average is ~8,400 visitors per day. However, during peak summer days especially in cruise ports the daily arrival can reach tens of thousands.
How Much Do Visitors Spend in Alaska?
Visitors to Alaska’s national park units alone numbered ~3.3 million in 2023 and drove ~$1.5 billion in regional visitor spending; park-related economic value to the state was ~$2.3 billion.
In total, tourism supports tens of thousands of jobs across the state.
Which Markets Visit Alaska the Most?
While comprehensive country-by-country shares are limited in recent public releases, key details include:
- ~66% of Summer 2024 visitors were cruise passengers, ~31% arrived by air, ~3% by highway/ferry.
- Winter 2024-25 had ~97% of arrivals via air.
Thus, cruise markets dominate volume, with independent and air-arriving visitors playing a smaller but growing role.
What Are the Most Visited Attractions in Alaska?
Alaska’s big draws include national parks, glacier cruise ports, wilderness expeditions and scenic train/rail trips. For example:
- National Park visitor numbers: ~3.3 million in 2023.
- The Port of Juneau saw ~1.7 million cruise passengers in 2024, the highest single-port number, up ~4% year-on-year.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Alaska?
Tourism in Alaska remains highly seasonal:
- Summer (May–September): ~88% of annual visitor volume!
- Winter (October–April): Smaller share (~12%) of annual visitor volume.
Thus, summer offers the widest choice of experiences; winter offers fewer crowds but fewer services.
What Are the Biggest Events or Drivers of Tourist Arrival?
Key tourism drivers for Alaska include:
- Cruise ship arrivals and itineraries through the Inside Passage and the Gulf of Alaska.
- National parks visitation—wildlife, glaciers, wilderness access.
- Scenic rail and wilderness adventure travel (e.g., Denali, Arctic, ferry/highway routes).
- Indigenous culture and frontier-style experiences (remote lodges, fly-in trips).
How Much Does Tourism Impact Alaska’s Economy?
- Tourism supports more than 48,000 jobs in Alaska.
- Tourism is a major economic pillar in many communities across Alaska, particularly in Southeast, Southcentral, and Interior regions.
- The heavy reliance on cruise traffic means infrastructure, environmental and community balances are ongoing concerns.
How Busy Are Alaska Hotels, Lodges & Cruise Ports?
- Cruise-visitor volume grew by ~3.8% between Summer 2023 and Summer 2024, while air visitor volume declined slightly (~1.5%) in that same period.
- Many lodging operations in remote areas operate at high season occupancy and rely on short windows of intense demand; off-peak seasons see far lower occupancy and limited services.
Which Regions in Alaska Are Most Popular With Tourists?
Tourism is concentrated in a few regions:
- Inside Passage / Southeast Alaska: Cruise ports, fjords, glaciers.
- Southcentral Alaska: Anchorage, Kenai, Denali, flight-seeing.
- Interior/Arctic: Denali National Park, Fairbanks, remote lodge travel.
- Highway/ferry versus air arrival proportions vary by region.
FAQ – Alaska Tourism Insights
How many tourists visit Alaska yearly?
~3.08 million for the May 2024–April 2025 period.
What portion of visitors arrive by cruise vs air?
In Summer 2024, ~66% arrived via cruise, ~31% via air.
When is the best time to visit Alaska?
Summer (May–Sept) offers the most services and daylight; winter is far quieter but more rugged.
Is Alaska expensive to visit?
Yes, many travel packages are premium due to remote location, logistics and nature experiences.
What are top attractions?
National parks, glaciers, wildlife, cruise ports, scenic train trips.
How reliant is Alaska on tourism?
Tourism is a key economic driver in many communities and supports tens of thousands of jobs statewide.
Sources
- Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) — Alaska Visitor Volume Report May 2024–Apr 2025
- Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) — Alaska Visitor Volume Report Summer 2023 / Winter 2023-24
- National Park Service / Alaska Beacon — Visitors to Alaska’s national parklands – economic value & spending
- Alaska Tourism Industry Research — Industry data – jobs and tourism reliance
- Business Insider — Alaska cruise boom and local impacts
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