Annual Reports

Dear Members,

Looking back on FY25, we want to share our appreciation for your commitment to Alaska’s tourism industry. Your hard work and ingenuity continue to make Alaska an extraordinary place to visit, and your participation with ATIA continues to guide our efforts to support and promote Alaska’s vibrant tourism industry.

We saw the power of your work reflected in the 2024-2025 visitor volume report, which showed that Alaska experienced its second consecutive year of surpassing 3 million visitors, driven by the continued strength of the cruise industry. At the same time, however, winter visitation declined for the first time in recent years, and independent travel is softer than predicted. We adapted our marketing efforts last year to reach more independent travelers.

ATIA’s tourism marketing budget in FY25 was lower than previous years due to the expiration of federal COVID funds. However, ATIA leveraged industry expertise to develop a strategic and targeted marketing program that maximized return on investment, even with a constrained budget.

New insights from a research project with Longwoods International affirmed the success of our efforts, demonstrating the remarkable “halo effect” that Alaska’s state marketing generates. Those who saw Travel Alaska ads were nearly twice as likely to see it as a good place to start a business or career.

Thanks to our marketing efforts and member collaboration, the tourism industry continues to drive economic opportunity, investment appeal, and improved quality of life for Alaskans. As a result, Alaska’s tourism industry is a key economic pillar for the state, generating $5.6 billion in total economic output and creating 48,000 jobs annually.

We also celebrated important legislative progress this year. At the state level, continued investment in tourism marketing and support for workforce and public-safety initiatives strengthened the foundation visitors and communities rely on.

We also recognize the significant challenges many of you faced including reductions in international visitors and uncertainty about staffing in public lands. In response, ATIA communicated with our congressional delegation regarding land management agency infrastructure, air service improvements, and visa processing efficiency, contributing to a more competitive and accessible Alaska.

Ballot initiatives aimed at limiting tourism opportunities continue to pose a threat to the viability of our industry. However, through effective outreach by tourism businesses about the economic and quality-of-life benefits tourism provides to communities, voters have recognized its value and successfully defeated these initiatives.

Together, these achievements underscore the power of collaboration. Thank you to our members, policy makers, committee members, and the ATIA board of directors for the work you do every day to welcome visitors, steward our resources, and strengthen our economy.

Sincerely,

Josh Howes, ATIA 2024-2025 Board Chair
Jillian Simpson, ATIA President & CEO

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View the 2025 Annual Report