Chocolate confections and local art came together on Feb. 17 for Discover Kodiak’s annual fundraising event. As KMXT’s Brian Venua reports, the local visitor bureau’s auction was raising money to support tourism to the island. Attendees tasted several local chocolatey goods pictured here as they bid on photos and paintings from local artists. (Brian Venua/KMXT) …

Katmai National Park has a 24-hour live stream of Brooks Falls every summer. Hoards of bears gather there to catch salmon and it’s a popular spot for crowds to watch them. Bear 480, also known as ‘Otis,’ arrived at Brooks Falls on July 26, the latest he’s been noticed yet. Bear 480, Otis, matched his …

Kodiak is expecting its busiest cruise ship season this summer since 2019, when 30 cruises visited the island. The first ship of the year, Holland America’s 950-foot Westerdam, docked at Pier 2 early Tuesday morning after sailing from Japan. David and Lili Fraiberg were among the first group of tourists off the Westerdam. Lili (left) …

The Kodiak Chamber of Commerce and the local visitor’s bureau, Discover Kodiak, both recently announced new executive directors. The new directors are taking the reins just in time for the busy summer season. The two bureaus are housed in the same building, and their missions are similar. Each is aimed at making Kodiak a better …

Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska has published its summer schedule for the state, and 23 large and small cruise ships are currently scheduled to visit Kodiak. That’s the most to visit since before the pandemic and the tides of tourism might be shifting our way. Cities in Southeast Alaska usually see more than a million …

June 10, 2021 by Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media Canada’s federal government is considering how to begin loosening its COVID-19 border restrictions, but it seems likely that the ban on letting Americans cross for nonessential travel will continue past June 21, when the current rules expire. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke this week of taking a phased …

May 20, 2021 by Eric Stone, KRBD – Ketchikan Big cruise ships could be heading for Alaska later this summer. A federal bill that would allow foreign-flagged cruise ships to bypass Canada on their way to Alaska is headed to the president’s desk after unanimously passing the U.S. House of Representatives. That follows the U.S. Senate passing similar …

May 17, 2021 by Abbey Collins, Alaska Public Media Alaska is expecting to see a lot of travelers this summer — especially compared to last year. Cheapwheels Rent-A-Car. (Abbey Collins/Alaska Public Media) As COVID-19 restrictions still bar large cruise ships from Alaska waters, most visitors are expected to come by plane — which means many are looking …

by Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media The cruise ship the Silver Shadow. (Photo by Maggie Wall / KMXT) The U.S. Senate passed a bill Thursday that could allow cruise ships to return to Alaska ports this summer. The bill temporarily lifts the requirement that foreign cruise ships – nearly the entire fleet – stop in …

April 26, 2021 by Abbey Collins, Alaska Public Media As the summer approaches, Alaska’s travel industry is preparing for another uncertain pandemic season. Widespread vaccine availability has improved the travel landscape in Alaska, but Sarah Leonard, President and CEO of the Alaska Travel Industry Association, said it’s still hard to predict exactly what summer will look like. …