Welcome Anchorage Tours names Amie Haakenson general manager

Welcome Anchorage Tours promoted Amie Haakenson to general manager on July 9, 2026, giving the longtime Alaska tourism veteran oversight of daily operations, guest experience and a growing guide team. The move comes as the Anchorage-based company expands small-group, cruise-transfer and private tours across Southcentral Alaska.

Why it matters: - Amie Haakenson’s promotion puts a veteran of Alaska tourism in charge of daily operations at a locally owned tour company that is expanding across Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska. - The move supports Welcome Anchorage Tours as it grows small-group day tours, cruise transfer service and multi-day private programs. - Haakenson’s background in logistics and guest experience is central to a business built around custom travel planning and guided experiences.

What happened: - Welcome Anchorage Tours promoted Amie Haakenson to general manager on July 9, 2026. - Haakenson joined the company in January 2026 as lead Alaska tour specialist. - The Anchorage-based company said Haakenson will oversee daily operations, guest experience and a growing team of local Alaskan guides. - Owner James Bowers said the promotion was the easiest decision the company made this year.

The details: - Haakenson has lived in Alaska since 1983 and has worked in Alaska tourism, travel and events for more than three decades. - Her career began in 1990 and includes work with Kenai Coastal Tours, Eagle Custom Tours, Alaska Booking & Reservation Center and MarkAir. - Haakenson graduated from the Travel Academy. - She also spent more than 20 years as owner and lead consultant of Your Event Planner. - That work focused on complex logistics and end-to-end guest experience design. - Haakenson also supported Alaska Native health and wellness programs in communities across the state. - Welcome Anchorage Tours said that experience gave Haakenson a firsthand understanding of Alaska’s geography, culture and people. - In her new role, Haakenson will lead bookings and logistics, guide operations and partnerships with travel advisors and local operators. - Haakenson will continue to work directly with guests on custom itineraries. - Welcome Anchorage Tours serves Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska with small-group and private tours. - The company is expanding small-group day tours, cruise transfer tours between Anchorage, Seward and Whittier, and multi-day private programs across Alaska.

Between the lines: - The promotion signals that Welcome Anchorage Tours is leaning on local expertise as it scales. - Haakenson’s mix of tourism, events and logistics experience fits a business model that depends on smooth operations and personalized service. - Bowers framed the hire as a way to preserve the company’s emphasis on “the real Alaska” while growing the business. - Haakenson said she wants to keep raising the bar for what a small-group tour in Alaska can be.

What's next: - Haakenson is expected to take a larger role in daily execution as Welcome Anchorage Tours expands. - The company’s partnerships with travel advisors and local operators will likely become more important as itineraries and transfer services grow. - Welcome Anchorage Tours continues to build around custom guest experiences in a competitive Alaska tourism market.