When tourism is done well, it’s described as a renewable resource. For that to remain true for Juneau, we need to make sure that its impact isn’t causing damage. Every year, we hear that the newest ships will bring even more passengers and it will be yet another record-breaking year for visitors. I’m very glad that we were able to reach the agreement to limit daily port calls to five ships and work to adjust future scheduling to eliminate the practice of hot berthing (swapping ships midway through the day to “double dip” at a dock) but I view this groundbreaking agreement as a start, not the end.

It can be better to work with the industry towards desired outcomes rather than passing legislation to force their hand, however this approach only works when it’s clear to the industry that we’re prepared to do the latter when community needs are not being met.

The demand on our finite infrastructure and electrical grid has to be considered from the perspective of our year-round residents’ wellbeing. The impact on our local ecology is also important to me - there are only a handful of humpback whales that consistently make our waters their summer home, and if they choose to seek less crowded or dangerous waters (or if we lose them to ship strikes) our booming whale watch industry could find itself without a fluke to stand on.

Tourism is an important part of our economy, but Juneau needs to have a clear vision of the experience we want to offer. It’s important to me that the vision centers the impact on year round residents.