Cruise ship ports question (Skagway: rent, jobs, business)

[rotorhead]

Better a "false economy" than no economy at all, which is the general direction in which SE Alaska is headed. When you subtract industry by industry lets see what we get:

Timber...gone.
Mining...going.
Fishing... hanging on, but a shadow of it's former self.
Tourism...yep...still there.

Better than nothing, especially for a place like Skagway who's glory days are long in the past.

[Metlakatla]

How does Haines, for instance, survive then without the big ships?

We know they aren't going to stop coming, but I think that if they did, the effect on the majority of the year round residents of Skagway might actually be beneficial. Those who are involved in the tourism industry there have, for the most part, carved out a niche for themselves that doesn't really depend on the ships. The independent travelers spend quite a bit more money on a local level than those off the ships anyway. Sure, quite a few businesses would pack up their carpetbags but in the long run it would be to the gain of the communities.

Tourism per se wasn't quite the issue here anyway.

[DannyL]

Tourism isn't the issue, outside carpetbaggers are.
Ouside carpetbaggers show up for 4 months, set up shop, rake $$$$ from visitors who think they are buying "Alaskan", then leave with the money and leave us with all the bad attitudes and vibes from folks who realize later they got ripped off, and they think we did it to them.

[DannyL]

Metla, Skagway was a "tourist trap" and hustle town even during the gold rush of the 1890's. Doesn't surprise me it would continue some of those habits. But then again, the carpetbaggers aren't helping any.

[DannyL]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Ketchikan and Juneau, though, are communities in their own right, probably a lot like wherever it is that you live.

unless something changes in the next 18 months, Juneau is in for a rough ride.

[Metlakatla]

I know that, Danny. But there are people living there who really do value it and call it home. Sure, it will always be a tourist town. But I also think that it would be financially healthier place if it weren't for the ships. Yeah, it's easy to look around it and during the season and think they create a lot of jobs and commerce...but that commerce is going south in carpetbags in the fall along with the out of state workers.

[DannyL]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I know that, Danny. But there are people living there who really do value it and call it home. Sure, it will always be a tourist town. But I also think that it would be financially healthier place if it weren't for the ships. Yeah, it's easy to look around it and during the season and hink they create a lot of jobs and commerce...but that commerce is going south in carpetbags in the fall along with the out of state workers.

and that maam, is something we both whole heartily agree on !!!!

[cobolt]

The ships for SE AK seem like a double-edged sword. On one hand, they create jobs and commerce. On the other hand, because those jobs are there, even seasonally, their presence may foster a sense of laziness or dependence when it comes to creating anything outside the tourist industry.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by DannyL

Tourism isn't the issue, outside carpetbaggers are.
Ouside carpetbaggers show up for 4 months, set up shop, rake $$$$ from visitors who think they are buying "Alaskan", then leave with the money and leave us with all the bad attitudes and vibes from folks who realize later they got ripped off, and they think we did it to them.

There are actually a lot of people getting ripped off in the Caribbean right now. There's a group that's starting a class action lawsuit against the mega cruise port jewelry stores. I'll post a link for it later.

[Metlakatla]

There was someone in Skagway who found out that the ring he paid several grand for wasn't even worth several hundred bucks.

Not so sure about the jobs, Cobolt. They're a good deal for retirees, students, second income earners, et al, if they can do that sort of work. But only around 10% of the year round residents really take those jobs.