Veteran of more than three decades in Alaska tourism will lead daily operations for the award-winning, local-owned tour company

ANCHORAGE, AK, UNITED STATES, July 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Welcome Anchorage Tours, a locally owned small-group and private tour company serving Anchorage and SouthCentral Alaska, is proud to announce the promotion of Amie Haakenson to General Manager. Haakenson, who joined the company in January 2026 as Lead Alaska Tour Specialist, will oversee daily operations, guest experience, and the company’s growing team of local Alaskan guides.

A lifelong Alaskan who has called the state home since 1983, Haakenson brings more than three decades of experience in Alaska’s travel, tourism, and event industries. Her career, which began in 1990, includes work with some of Alaska’s most respected travel organizations, including Kenai Coastal Tours, Eagle Custom Tours, Alaska Booking & Reservation Center, and MarkAir. A graduate of the Travel Academy, she is widely recognized for her operational depth, attention to detail, and ability to craft seamless, meaningful travel experiences.

In addition to her tourism background, Haakenson spent more than 20 years as owner and lead consultant of Your Event Planner, specializing in complex logistics and end-to-end guest experience design. Her work supporting Alaska Native health and wellness programs took her to communities across the state, giving her a firsthand understanding of Alaska’s geography, culture, and people, that insight that now shapes how Welcome Anchorage designs its tours.

“In just a few months, Amie has made her mark on every part of this company, and our guests feel it, our guides feel it, and our partners feel it,” said James Bowers, owner of Welcome Anchorage Tours. “Promoting her to General Manager was the easiest decision we’ve made this year. Her experience, her heart for hospitality, and her love for Alaska make her exactly the right person to lead our day-to-day operations as we grow.”

“Welcome Anchorage was built on the idea that visitors deserve to experience the real Alaska: unhurried, personal, and guided by people who genuinely love this place,” said Haakenson. “I’m honored to step into this role and to keep raising the bar for what a small-group tour in Alaska can be.”

In her new role, Haakenson will lead bookings and logistics, guide operations, and partnerships with travel advisors and local operators, while continuing to work directly with guests designing custom itineraries. The promotion comes as Welcome Anchorage Tours continues to expand its small-group day tours, cruise transfer tours between Anchorage, Seward, and Whittier, and multi-day private programs across the state.

Jennifer Christensen
SparkStory Marketing
+1 907-310-4300
jennifer@sparkstorymarketing.com
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