When visiting Alaska buying local products from local businesses and artisans is a great way to support the local economy and enjoy amazing local foods and products that can’t be found anywhere else.  

So much of what makes Alaska unique is its connection with nature and everything it has to offer. Every Alaskan product, from the gold used in the jewelry to the wood used to make Ulus and the Baleen used for baskets, comes from nature and is uniquely Alaskan.

Alaska is home to one-of-a-kind delicacies you will not find anywhere else. We all know about the world-renowned Alaska king crab, the legendary Alaska salmon, and other types of seafood. Still, there are countless different products, from beautiful Alaska Native art pieces to local jams, jellies, teas, chocolate, and many others, that you can only get in Alaska since they are exclusively produced and sold by local businesses.

Why Should You Buy Local Products from Alaska?

Alaska has a lot to offer, from beautiful fjords to world-class fishing and unique wildlife and history. That is why thousands of visitors from all over the world flock to the state every summer, even in winter. 

Unfortunately, the last two years have been challenging for Alaskan cities that rely on tourism and cruise ship passengers. Without visitors coming to Alaska and buying our unique goods and products, many businesses and artisans have had to close, which can have negative repercussions for years. According to official data from the state government, Alaskan communities lost over $220 million of revenue after cruise sailings stopped in 2020 and 2021. 

Now that Alaska is 100% open for business and cruises are back, we are very excited to have visitors come and learn more about our great state and all the unique items you can buy here. When visiting our state, we recommend you buy keepsakes, food products, arts, jewelry, etc., from local businesses.

To quickly identify local products and goods, look for the Made in Alaska, Alaska Grown, or Alaska Silver Hand seals. 

Still wondering why you should buy local? Here are a few reasons:

Your Dollar Goes Further

According to a study from the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development, $0.63 of every dollar you spend buying from a local business stays in the community and is reinvested (paying local employees, suppliers’ landlords, etc.). On the other hand, if you were to buy from a big external non-local business in Alaska, only $0.22 would get reinvested into the local community. 

By investing locally, our economy prospers, locals have jobs, and our artisans and business owners can keep operating, creating, and selling the one-of-a-kind products we all love. 

Building the Local Economy and Communities 

Local businesses fuel local growth, which supports job creation, innovation, and local communities. Every dollar spent in Alaska boosts the job market’s growth four times faster than a dollar paid out to an out-of-state company. 

Local businesses are great supporters of their communities by donating to local charities and non-profits more than non-local businesses. This creates a virtuous cycle that helps grow communities by making them more vibrant places with more businesses that sell and produce goods and services that visitors will enjoy.  

When you buy local products from local Alaskan enterprises, you get excellent products and services that will help the community. This is directly linked to greater social well-being, less inequality, and more economic resilience. 

When traveling to Alaska and shopping locally, you are giving back to the communities and doing your part to make our state thrive. This way, future generations can enjoy everything our great land offers. 

Fortunately, if you are not in Alaska, you can still buy local by shopping through voyij.com – a marketplace that sells products, gifts, and keepsakes from local Alaskan businesses and artisans.