Travelers in Alaska could face delays and disruptions this week due to the summit between US and Russian Presidents Donald J. Trump and Vladimir Putin
The last-minute summit tentatively set for this Friday somewhere in Alaska between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald J. Trump, which may still see the addition of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, could cause havoc for tourists right in the middle of the state’s peak season for tourism.
The Alaska Travel Industry Association reported there were 2.7 million out-of-state visitors between May and September 2024. Two-thirds (66%) came by cruise ship, with 31% arriving by air. August is the second busiest month for tourism.
Just over a quarter of cruise visitors start or end their cruises in Alaska, mainly at two ports used to call on Anchorage. The remaining cruisers start and end their cruises out of state, mainly from Vancouver and Seattle, making a roundtrip visit.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy welcomed the use of the 49th state as a venue.
On Friday, he posted on X, „I welcome the upcoming meeting between President Donald J. Trump and Russia’s President Putin being held here in the great state of Alaska. Alaska is the most strategic location in the world, sitting at the crossroads of North America and Asia, with the Arctic to our north and the Pacific to our south. With a mere two miles separating Russia from Alaska, no other place plays a more vital role in our national defense, energy security, and Arctic leadership. What happens in the Arctic and the Pacific impacts Alaska before the rest of the country. It’s fitting that discussions of global importance take place here. For centuries, Alaska has been a bridge between nations, and today, we remain a gateway for diplomacy, commerce, and security in one of the most critical regions on earth. The world will be watching, and Alaska stands ready to host this historic meeting.“
During Trump’s most recent visit to Scotland, reports say there were road closures and minimal flight disruptions to scheduled airlines. During the 2021 meeting between Putin and then U.S. President Joseph Biden in Geneva, Switzerland, the Swiss government deployed over 1,000 extra troops for security, and despite airspace restrictions, there were minimal delays for flights at Geneva International Airport.
