Ketchikan is on track to welcome its millionth cruise passenger of the 2017 season in September, according to figures from the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau.
This comes after the port city set a one-day record in May by welcoming 13,000 cruise guests from six large vessels. Those arrivals were staggered to alleviate crowds in the Inside Passage destination.
Cruise passengers disembarking in Ketchikan will find recreational activities ranging from fishing and wildlife viewing to kayaking, sea cycling and ziplining. Cultural highlights include the Totem Heritage Center, which displays a collection of 19th century totem poles and traditional Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian artwork. Shops and galleries line the city's Creek Street boardwalk, another popular visitor destination.
The uptick in Ketchikan traffic parallels a wider Alaska trend, according to CLIA Alaska numbers. The nonprofit expects an estimated 1.06 million cruise passengers to visit the state this year, topping the previous record of 1.03 million arrivals in 2008.