Our next Startup Weekend September 5-7 will be our first vertical focused event after over 13 years. The following is adapted from a blog post on the topic of tourism segments by Rep. Ky Holland originally published July 20, 2025
Summary – A Better Alaska Through Smarter Tourism: A Vision for innovation that benefits Alaskans.
As someone who’s spent decades working to build a stronger Alaska, I believe our future depends not just on what we extract from this land—but on what we build for ourselves and for each other.
Tourism is one of the greatest tools we have for doing just that. It connects the world to the wonders of Alaska, but more importantly, it can be a powerful driver of year-round economic opportunity, innovation and entrepreneurship, and community development —if we manage and invest in it wisely.
To do that, I believe we need to think about tourism in three interconnected tiers, each with its own role to play in our economy and our communities.
Tier 1: Gateway Large Group Tourism
Cruise ships and high-volume tours bring millions of visitors to Alaska each year, typically visiting a relatively few gateway communities. This tier has real value—and it’s evolving. We’re seeing communities and Alaska Native corporations step up to invest in the infrastructure that supports this industry, and more local artisans and entrepreneurs developing products, tours, and experiences tailored for these guests. That’s a positive shift. When Tier 1 is done right, it introduces many visitors to Alaska and opens doors for locals to benefit economically and culturally. But too much of a good thing can become the challenge known in Iceland and other populate destinations as “over tourism” that results in a place that residents no longer can tolerate and are driven away from the community we want people to visit.
Tier 2: Community-Centered Small Group and Independent Traveler Tourism
Tier 2 is about building visitor experiences that grow from the heart of our communities and engage communities across the state and throughout the year. That means investing in the kinds of infrastructure—like trailheads, recreational cabins, trails with huts, access to waterways, remote visitor accommodations, small business/remote work and craft incubators, rural transportation, and community event spaces—that residents use too. The value here is that the same improvements that make a place great for visitors also make it better for the people who live there.
And this is where innovation thrives. Alaskans are already launching startups and community initiatives that rethink tourism—from eco-lodges, enhanced long trails, winter visitor amenities, to cultural immersion experiences. By supporting these efforts, we’re not just growing tourism. We’re growing year-round jobs, community wealth, build a place residents want to stay, and the kind of resilience that can’t be outsourced.
Tier 3: Resident-Integrated Tourism
Sometimes, people come to Alaska and never want to leave, and they bring their businesses and employees, and they then attract their own family and friends to come visit. That’s not just a nice sentiment—it’s an economic strategy and its attracted entrepreneurship including those who have created startup support programs such as Geeks in the Woods. But here’s the truth: Tier 3 tourism doesn’t happen unless we invest in the broader infrastructure that supports life here. If we want visitors to become residents, we need high-quality schools, affordable housing, well-maintained roads, and reliable public services. The beauty of Alaska can capture a visitor’s imagination, but it’s the strength and livability of our communities that make them stay.
It All Comes Full Circle
Here’s the deeper truth: these tiers aren’t separate. They’re connected. Even a Tier 1 cruise passenger walks down our streets, sees our schools and our housing, interacts with our people. The condition of our built environment, the vitality of our towns, the welcome from our neighbors—these shape how visitors see Alaska just as much as the glaciers and wildlife do.
That’s why investing in Alaskans—our communities, our infrastructure, our people—is the smartest tourism strategy we can pursue. Because when Alaska works for Alaskans, it works for visitors too. And when tourism is rooted in community value, it becomes not just an industry—but a path to a stronger, more vibrant future for all of us.
Join us September 5-7, 2025 for our first vertical focused Techstars StartupWeekend Tourism Anchorage event and be a part of building our Next Alaska. Learn more about the event and the sponsors behind the program at the 10AM July 30th 1Million Cups in person and Zoom meetup; or call or send me a note.
Ky