City and Borough of Juneau Partner with Cruise Lines to Sign Memorandum of Agreement on Visitor Industry Management

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) and cruise lines calling the port have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in a groundbreaking effort to help manage visitor industry impacts in the Capital City. This pioneering collaboration points a way forward for communities and cruise lines to work together to support local businesses, strengthen the visitor experience, and protect quality of life in the community.

The agreement, developed in partnership between CBJ and member companies of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) that operate ships in Juneau, is based on the recommendations established by the Visitor Industry Task Force (VITF) in 2020 and solidifies the cooperative working relationship among the parties.

CBJ Mayor Beth Weldon appointed the VITF to guide Assembly policy related to tourism management. The MOA includes a list of concrete commitments and formalizes the partners’ intent to continue to collaborate on projects and agreements to address community goals. The CBJ and cruise lines will continue to work together to meet community objectives while considering the complex logistics of cruise line operations.

“CLIA member lines have made tremendous advancements in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship across the globe and remain committed to being good partners with the communities we visit in Alaska. This MOA is a demonstration of that and will continue to strengthen the relationship between the community and the cruise industry,” said Renée Limoge Reeve, Vice President of Government and Community Relations at CLIA.

The commitments in the MOA include immediate actions such as eliminating disposal of large, bulky waste and minimizing all types of waste in Juneau’s landfill, turning off large screens in port and when visible to neighborhoods, limiting drinking water use in times of drought, and maximizing partnerships with local businesses. The MOA also includes pledges to work together on longer-term goals like strategic docking of ships to minimize congestion, changes to the way ships are scheduled, and industry support for projects important to CBJ such as the Centennial Hall expansion and constructing shore power at City-owned docks.

“Throughout this process, we have appreciated the cruise lines’ open dialogue, receptivity to community needs, and dedication to collaboration,” said Alexandra Pierce, CBJ Tourism Manager. “We’re looking forward to future agreements that advance community goals and address concerns while preserving a sustainable visitor industry.”

Find information on the Visitor Industry in Juneau juneau.org/tourism and read the full agreement here.