{"id":72764,"date":"2024-08-26T14:21:27","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T21:21:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=72764"},"modified":"2024-08-26T14:21:27","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T21:21:27","slug":"little-cruise-tourism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/little-cruise-tourism\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Arctic cruise ship tourism is complicated"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nearly 1.7 million people visit Juneau, Alaska, between May and September, spilling into the city by the thousands each morning when their cruise ship docks.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">On any given day, the capital of Alaska has a population of almost 32,000 people.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s easy to imagine the myriad effects, both good and bad, that the annual influx of tourism has on this small town. It\u2019s harder to measure those effects and look for ways to mitigate the negative impacts while still protecting the economic benefits and allowing people to experience the jaw-dropping natural beauty that Juneau offers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Joseph Little<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, chair and associate professor in the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance in The W. A. Franke College of Business at NAU, is part of a global interdisciplinary research team that is examining the effects of cruise ship tourism on Arctic communities. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation Arctic Cruise Tourism (ACT) Project. \u00a0 <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThe basic idea for the project is to look more holistically at the impacts of large-scale cruise ship tourism in Arctic communities,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Little\u2019s research is focused on Juneau, but the team is looking at effects in four additional Arctic cities:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559682&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nome, Alaska (population 3,654)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559682&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Visby, Sweden (population 24,330)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559682&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Bergen, Norway (population 271,949)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559682&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Akureyri, Iceland (population 18,191)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The good, the bad and the complicated of cruise ship tourism<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_72767\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-72767\" style=\"width: 454px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-72767\" src=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_181296101.jpeg\" alt=\"Sunset view on Bergen and harbor from the mountain floyen\" width=\"454\" height=\"303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_181296101.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_181296101-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_181296101-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 454px) 100vw, 454px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-72767\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Bergen, Norway. Top photo: <span class=\"grey dove-text\">Mendenhall Glacier Ice Cave, Juneau, Alaska.<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We\u2019ll start with the positives. Economic health is a big one; many of these small-town economies are becoming more dependent on tourists spending money through shopping, sightseeing dining and passenger fees. In total, tourists spent more than $375 million in 2023. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But the economic effects are even broader than that. In the last few decades, improved air and water standards and monitoring have led to cleaner air and water in these communities. Cruise ships have switched to cleaner fuels and onshore power, so they\u2019re not running diesel engines all day while docked. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Additionally, cooperative agreements introduced by local governments in coordination with the cruise companies have reduced the number of ships docked at any given time, so cities are less likely to be overwhelmed with many thousands of tourists at once. Part of this research will measure how those practices are working.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Of course, there\u2019s no way to avoid the significant disruption that results in a small town when even a few thousand tourists arrive all at once. Residents are less likely to spend their weekends shopping and eating downtown or hiking popular trails if those areas are inundated with tourists. For a town like Nome, which has virtually no infrastructure for a high level of tourism, dramatic change could be on the way as the climate warms, sea ice melts and more cruise ships head farther north.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There also are questions of cultural sustainability and impacts on Alaska Native and Indigenous communities, who are important partners in the study. Those communities should not lose sacred spaces or identities, meaning any solutions to problems need to be looked at holistically, not just through numbers. That\u2019s harder to quantify, but, Little said, it\u2019s a critical question to consider.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The white whale of cruise ship tourism<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_72766\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-72766\" style=\"width: 362px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-72766\" src=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_547882291.jpeg\" alt=\"Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) diving in Auke Bay near Juneau, Alaska, USA.\" width=\"362\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_547882291.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_547882291-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_547882291-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-72766\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A humpback whale diving in Auke Bay near Juneau.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Anyone taking a cruise to the north almost certainly has whale watching on the to-do list. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What that means is hundreds of cruisers taking to the sea on boats, all in the same general area, looking for the same pods. This may have adverse effects on the whales, including charter boats hitting whales and potentially changes in migration patterns and other behaviors that then impact the ocean\u2019s ecosystem. The researchers want to know those effects so companies and cities can create policies and practices that still allow for whale-watching without impacting the animals.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cA bunch of boats running toward a pod of whales won\u2019t work,\u201d Little said. \u201cWhen people visit, they don\u2019t want to harm the area or, in this case, harm the animals. The information we\u2019re gathering, such as non-regulatory approaches to managing whale charter activities, will help governments and companies understand what\u2019s happening and produce thoughtful measures that can help mitigate a lot of the negative effects of these impacts.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Thinking about a cruise? Go! But be aware of your impact.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_72768\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-72768\" style=\"width: 425px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-72768\" src=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_313149840.jpeg\" alt=\"Stairs in front of Akureyrarkirkja church in Akureyri city, Iceland\" width=\"425\" height=\"284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_313149840.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_313149840-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_313149840-768x513.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-72768\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Stairs in front of Akureyrarkirkja church in Akureyri city, Iceland<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Little\u2019s piece of this research is ongoing and likely won\u2019t be completed until summer 2025. But he already knows this much: He\u2019s not going to tell people to stop going on cruises. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But he hopes governments, tourism agencies and cruise ship companies pay attention to this research and work with local communities to create policies and standards that protect the environment, the cultures and the economies of these towns. He also hopes tourists will learn from the research and become more thoughtful, respectful visitors who understand the impacts of their travel on residents\u2019 lives.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI want people to go to Alaska\u2014go visit it,\u201d Little said. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing place. But I want people to be cognizant of the people who live there and understand that you\u2019re being welcomed into somebody\u2019s home. I want people to understand the value of exchange and trade and that it\u2019s important to have ethic behind that.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-56007\" src=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-300x213.png\" alt=\"Northern Arizona University Logo\" width=\"142\" height=\"101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-768x546.png 768w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-600x426.png 600w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514.png 905w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 142px) 100vw, 142px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Heidi Toth | NAU Communications<br \/>\n(928) 523-8737 | <a href=\"mailto:heidi.toth@nau.edu\">heidi.toth@nau.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"search-results-excerpt-link\" href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/little-cruise-tourism\/\">Nearly 1.7 million people visit Juneau, Alaska, between May and September, spilling into the city by the thousands each morning when their cruise ship docks.\u00a0\u00a0 On any given day, the capital of Alaska has a population of almost 32,000 people.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to imagine the myriad effects, both good and bad, that the annual influx&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":72786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research-academics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72764\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}