The beautiful city set to hold a vote on cruise ships ban | World | News

Residents in the US state of Alaska‘s capital city are set to hold a ballot on regulating the influx of cruise ships that can reach it.

Juneau, which can be reached only by boat or plane, is a sought-after destination by tourists aboard cruise ships. 

This popularity means that, between April and October when the current cruise season runs, local residents, infrastructur and businesses experience a major influx of holidaymakers.

While some, particularly people whose businesses are reliant on tourism, welcome the arrival of cruises to Juneau, others are fed-up with overcrowding, traffic and other reasons lamented by many other residents living in holiday hotspots around the world affected by overtourism.

Earlier this month, however, a process was set in motion to give Juneau’s residents a say on cruise ships, as a rule that would regulate cruise ships docking in the Alaskan city qualified for a ballot. 

The proposed regulation includes a ban on ships carrying 250 or more passengers disembarking to Juneau on Saturdays as well as prohibiting cruises from reaching the city on July 4, when many locals travel downtown for a parade marking the USA’s Independence Day.

Voters will be able to have their say unless a local assembly enacts a similar measure by August 15, a move deemed unlikely.

Juneau is home to some 32,000 people, who are seemingly split on the “Saturday-free” initiative.

While some are concerned about the small community becoming overwhelmed by the large influx of tourists concentrated in small periods of time, others warned a partial cruise ship ban could damage the local economy, the Independent wrote. 

More than 1.6 million cruise passengers reached Juneau in 2023, and the cruise industry accounted for some £289million ($375m) in direct spending in the city that year, according to a report prepared for the city by McKinley Research Group LLC.

Located in the Alaskan panhandle, Juneau is the only US capital with no road connecting it to the rest of its state due to the extremely rugged terrain surrounding it.

One of the reasons why it is chosen as a holiday destination by many is its proximity to the Mendenhall Glacier, just 12 miles from downtown Juneau.

As wilderness surrounds it, Juneau is also a perfect spot for whale watching and bear viewing. The area is rich with history too, with tours bringing back to life the gold rush of the late 1880s.