Arabic version: سكاغواي تواجه ركود الشتاء بعد موسم الرحلات البحرية

According to The Guardian, Skagway’s roughly 1,100 permanent residents face a sharp seasonal divide as cruise visitors leave the Alaska town each autumn. More than 1.35 million tourists arrived by cruise ship in 2025, alongside more than half a million crew, while nearly 2 million visitors and crew reached the town that year.

Mayor Orion Hanson said the year-round economy and population are major concerns. Shops reduce hours or close after the tourist season, and only two local restaurants remain open with limited hours outside it. The Sweet Tooth cafe, formerly a year-round diner, has become a seasonal storefront for Diamonds International.

The summer influx puts pressure on housing, services and infrastructure designed for a town of about 1,000 people. A 2023 report commissioned by the Skagway Development Corporation found 644 housing units. Although more units have since been added, they have not been sufficient for permanent residents, seasonal employees, essential workers and families.

Al Wall, director of the Dahl Memorial Clinic, said seasonal workers use warehouses, homes, tents, recreational vehicles and motorhomes, with some sleeping in hammocks in the woods. A law barring season-long camping moved workers into traditional homes, according to longtime resident Janilyn Heger, who said employers began buying buildings and displacing year-round housing.

Hotels have also been converted into seasonal employee accommodation, reducing options for independent travellers. A survey by Oregon State University found just over 40% of respondents believed tourism’s benefits outweighed its costs, while 25% disagreed and 33% saw the relationship as roughly balanced. Hanson said Skagway must be careful because its livelihood depends heavily on one industry.