Independent travelers have arrived in Alaska, and they’re a needed boost for many businesses

Tourism operators are reporting that Lower 48 visitors are flying to Alaska in unexpected numbers this summer.

Considered independent tourists because they’re not part of a cruise ship package tour, they can’t fully replace the cruise tourists who arrived by the thousands pre-pandemic.

But independent tourists are helping offset losses. They’re filling up Southcentral Alaska’s roadways and hotels, and putting a strain on services from rental cars to restaurants. Worker shortages are also adding to the delays, as activity surges and jobless Alaskans only slowly rejoin the workforce.

The seaside communities of Homer and Seward on the Kenai Peninsula are especially busy, tourism representatives say.

Many tourism operators in Anchorage and at the doorstep to Denali National Park and Preserve also say they’re enjoying a surprisingly good season.

Homer, always a destination for independent tourists, feels unusually busy, tourism…

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