Haines’ cruise ship season wrapped up on Oct. 5, ending a strong year for the industry with the number of passengers far exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Still, business owners and tourism officials say the town faces challenges for next year including irregular store hours and concerns about wildlife at Chilkoot Lake.
Nearly 80,000 cruise ship passengers visited Haines in 2023, compared to 54,000 in 2019, based on numbers provided by borough tourism director Rebecca Hylton.…