Tourism – City and Borough of Juneau

Visitor Industry Task Force Invites Public to March Meetings on Flightseeing

The Visitor Industry Task Force invites the public to listen to two meetings about flightseeing at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 12 and Thursday, March 19 in the Assembly Chambers and via Zoom. On March 12, task force members will discuss Juneau’s aerial tours, including efforts to manage impacts and options for policy changes, with expert and industry panelists. On March 19, Task Force members will discuss implementation of potential recommendations. Full meeting details can be found on the CBJ assembly calendar. While public testimony will not be taken, residents are encouraged to email comments to [email protected].

The second Visitor Industry Task Force was established by Mayor Beth Weldon in December 2025 to advise the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly on a variety of visitor industry topics. So far, the task force has discussed recommendations from the previous task force, public survey results, and crowding in downtown. Upcoming topics for discussion include whale watching, a clean energy revolving loan program, and long-term tourism policy objectives. Recordings of past meetings, along with more information about the task force, can be found at juneau.org/assembly/visitor-industry-task-force.

For more information about the Visitor Industry Task Force, visit juneau.org/assembly/visitor-industry-task-force or contact CBJ Visitor Industry Director Alexandra Pierce at [email protected] or 907-586-5240 ext. 4172.

March 9th, 2026|

Marine Park Improvements to Begin March 2

The planned rebuild of Marine Park will begin on Monday, March 2. Construction is expected to last through 2026 with estimated completion in April 2027. During this time, pedestrians will need to follow signs around the construction site. A map of pedestrian routes, along with information about the project, can be found at bit.ly/MarineParkProject.

Reconstruction of Marine Park is funded entirely by Marine Passenger Fees, which are fees and taxes the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) collects from the cruise ship industry. The funds are restricted by the U.S. Constitution to projects benefitting cruise ships and their passengers.

Planning for the Marine Park rebuild began in 2023, when CBJ received over 1000 public survey responses and input from multiple public meetings. Based on the public input received, the final park was designed to provide a central gathering place for use in all seasons and by all ages, with the flexibility for a variety of community events and activities. The park will include an open plaza area with Northwest Coast formline inlay, a covered performance stage, ADA accessible picnic tables, seating overlooking the Juneau Seawalk, two vendor kiosks and a small play area.

CBJ is working to relocate regular vendors to new areas during the construction. Construction is being completed by Dawson Construction LLC.

For more information about Marine Park and the Marine Park Master Plan, contact CBJ Parks & Recreation at [email protected] or 907-586-5226.

February 20th, 2026|

Visitor Industry Task Force Meets February 19 to Discuss Downtown Crowding

The City and Borough of Juneau’s Visitor Industry Task Force meets Thursday, February 19 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss crowding in downtown Juneau during the cruise ship season. The meeting will be held in the City Hall Assembly Chambers, located at 155 Heritage Way, and over Zoom through the call-in details below:

Zoom Link: juneau.zoom.us/j/83826098583

Webinar ID: 838 2609 8583

For more information about the meeting, visit juneauak.portal.civicclerk.com or contact CBJ Visitor Industry Director Alix Pierce at [email protected].

February 16th, 2026|

CBJ Accepting Public Proposals For Marine Passenger Fee Proceeds Starting December 1

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) invites the public to submit proposals for how proceeds from the 2026 Marine Passenger Fee (MPF) are used. Proposals can be made via webform from December 1 to December 31, 2025. This annual process ensures that all members of the community can have a say in how fees from the cruise ship industry are reinvested in local business and services.

Various fees and taxes make up a $13 total fee per cruise ship passenger. These fees are designated to fund projects directly related to the visitor industry which enhance the tourism experience in Juneau and offset community impacts created by the cruise ship industry.

The use of these fees is constitutionally restricted. CBJ and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) settled a lawsuit in 2019 with an agreement that governs how and where CBJ spends the fees. CBJ therefore encourages project proposals that benefit cruise ship passengers as well as Juneau residents. For a full description of project eligibility, please see CBJ 69.20.120.

Exciting examples of past projects funded in part through the MPF include the Downtown Seawalk project, growing pedestrian access to Juneau’s waterfront, and improvements to Juneau’s wastewater systems, increasing utility effectiveness and efficiency for all of Juneau’s residents and visitors. For more details, please see the full list of FY26 projects & associated funding totals.

After the proposal period has ended, the City Manager will develop a draft recommendation list followed by a 30-day comment period that can be found on the Marine Passenger Fee Program website. All materials will then be submitted to the Assembly Finance Committee for review, and then to the Assembly for consideration during the upcoming budget cycle.

Proposals must be submitted by December 31 on the webform or the City Manager’s Office, attention Alexandra Pierce, 155 Heritage Way, Juneau, Alaska 99801.

For more information, contact CBJ Visitor Industry Director Alexandra Pierce at [email protected] or visit the Marine Passenger Fee Program website.

December 1st, 2025|

Marine Passenger Fee recommendations open for public comment through May 7

The public has until May 7 to comment on the City Manager’s recommendations for how to allocate cruise ship Marine Passenger Fee (MPF) proceeds in the upcoming year. Read the draft proposal on the MPF website.

The draft proposal makes recommendations on expenditure of funds that come from the $5 City and Borough of Juneau Marine Passenger Fee, $3 CBJ Port Development Fee, and the $5 State of Alaska Commercial Passenger Vessel Fee. For budgeting purposes, CBJ has estimated that about 1.65 million passengers will come to Juneau this year. Based on that projection, the amount of revenue in fiscal year 2026 is anticipated to be roughly $21.5 million.

In December, CBJ solicited project proposals from city departments and the public, including businesses and the visitor industry, to be funded with MPF proceeds. The Visitor Industry Director is recommending 29 operating, grant and capital funding allocations. They include:

Covered bus stop on Mendenhall Loop Road
Dock safety cameras on the downtown seawalk
Pulse Point emergency responder app
Improvements to Marine Park
Funding for shore power
Water and wastewater system upgrades

Submit comments on the recommendations by Wednesday, May 7, 2025 to CBJ Visitor Industry Director Alexandra Pierce by email to [email protected] or by mail to the City Manager’s Office, attn: Alexandra Pierce, 155 S. Seward Street, Juneau, Alaska 99801.

All Marine Passenger Fee project proposals and comments will be forwarded along with the City Manager’s recommendation list to the Assembly Finance Committee for review, and then to the Assembly for consideration during the upcoming budget cycle.

For more information, contact CBJ Visitor Industry Director Alexandra Pierce at [email protected] or visit the Marine Passenger Fee Program website.

April 7th, 2025|