Sitka to Vote on Limiting Daily Cruise Visitor Numbers

Residents of Sitka, Alaska, will soon have the opportunity to vote on a proposed measure to limit the number of cruise ship passengers arriving in the community each day. 

As reported by KTOO, organizers gathered enough signatures to place the initiative on the ballot for a special election anticipated to be held this spring. 

The proposal aims to introduce an annual cap of 300,000 cruise passengers and restrict daily arrivals to no more than 4,500 guests. Additionally, cruise ship visits would be limited to six days a week. Ships would also be required to obtain permits to dock in Sitka, with the city managing the permitting process and enforcing penalties for violations. 

Under the plan, smaller vessels carrying between 12 and 250 passengers, along with ferries, would be exempt from these restrictions. 

Municipal Clerk Sara Peterson told KTOO that her office officially certified the petition on March 17. According to local election rules, at least 613 valid signatures must be collected within a 90-day period for a measure to qualify. The petition exceeded that threshold in just four days, Peterson said. 

The special election is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 30, 2025, pending approval by the Sitka Assembly. 

The proposed ordinance was submitted by the non-profit group Small Town SOUL, which describes its mission as to “preserve the unique small-town character of Sitka.” 

“We support cruise ship tourism at levels that balance the needs of residents and locally owned and operated businesses,” the organization stated on its website. 

The group pointed to rapid growth in cruise tourism as a key concern. 

“Historically, the most cruise visitors Sitka hosted prior to 2022 was 289,753 visitors in 2008. In 2022, Sitka received one-third more than that—383,000 visitors, and in 2023, we were inundated with twice as much—585,000 visitors,” the organization noted, adding that “the numbers are too high.” 

“Too many cruise visitors impact our lives and damage our reputation as a high-quality place to visit,” the group stated. 

If approved, the measure could significantly reshape how Sitka manages cruise ship tourism moving forward, seeking a balance between economic benefits and preserving the town's quality of life.