Remote Work, Remote Play: Digital Connections Reshape Visitor Opportunities

Alaska is an ultimate bucket-list destination, known for its wilderness, wildlife, and adventure tourism. However, visiting often requires extensive planning, high travel costs, and a short summer window. Most tourists cram their itineraries into a standard two- to three-week vacation. If remote work enabled visitors to extend their stays, Alaska’s tourism industry could see an economic boost.

No Nomads, Not Yet

Jack Bonney, vice president of communications at Visit Anchorage, observes that Alaska’s largest city is seeing vacationers express a desire to stay longer. “The increasing length of stay could hint at remote workers,” Bonney says, “but may primarily be a function of travelers really aiming to understand the place and explore like a local.”

Some business owners say they haven’t noticed a shift in traveler behavior. Unlike digital nomad hubs with abundant coworking spaces and fiber-optic internet, Alaska’s rugged terrain imposes barriers to connectivity. While cities like Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau offer reliable broadband, much of Alaska remains off-grid. Limited broadband access in rural areas, seasonal constraints, and the high cost of travel work against Alaska becoming a digital nomad haven. Alaska’s seasonality, with a peak summer window followed by extreme winter conditions, further impedes long-stay tourism, compared to places with year-round appeal. At least for now.

Christina Kirkwood, marketing director and operations manager of Kennicott Glacier Lodge in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, confirms that connectivity issues have kept her lodge from becoming a remote-work-friendly destination. “So far, we have not seen any changes in terms of people staying longer because they can work remotely,” Kirkwood says. “Our nightly rates and limited access to WiFi/cell service will likely limit the use of our lodge as a base for remote work.”

Similarly, Pamela Manderson, general manager at Anchorage-based luxury vacation operator Alaska Private Touring, notes that, “while connectivity does come up occasionally during initial conversations in the sales process, it’s usually on behalf of high-level executives rather than younger travelers.”

Adapting to Attract

Some adventurous travelers have found workarounds. A Reddit user by the name of patrick_schliesing describes working remotely on the Kenai Peninsula. “When the fishing runs happen in the summer and we want to be more mobile to chase the fish, we leverage Starlink and AT&T to work remote from the Kenai Peninsula out of our RV camper trailer,” he says.

Satellite internet solutions like Starlink are slowly closing the connectivity gap, but coverage isn’t universal. Many tourism businesses in Alaska’s remote areas still struggle to offer reliable WiFi, limiting their ability to attract long-stay visitors on working vacations. At Alaska Private Touring, Manderson says that, while connectivity is a consideration, it has not significantly changed the length of bookings.

While some tourism operators remain skeptical, others are adapting to attract long-term visitors. Hotels and lodges in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, where broadband is strong, are beginning to market remote-work-friendly accommodations. Extended-stay hotels and vacation rentals equipped with WiFi, workspaces, and kitchens appeal to professionals looking to blend work with adventure.

Ahsoak enjoys having a kitchen while he’s lawyering from the riverbank. “Being able to make coffee, breakfast, lunch, and snacks makes working remotely much easier,” he says. “Wake up at 5 a.m., hit the river for two hours, then back in time for my 8 a.m. meetings.”

Coworking spaces are also emerging in urban hubs. Anchorage and Juneau now have shared office spaces catering to remote professionals. While they haven’t seen a major influx of digital nomads, they provide options for long-term visitors who need reliable workspaces.

Advice for Action

If Alaska wants to compete with other remote work destinations, it may need to actively market itself as a long-stay-friendly state. In the meantime, businesses in connected areas can attract digital nomads by offering strong WiFi, workspaces, and extended-stay incentives. As remote work continues to evolve, Alaska’s tourism industry has the potential to adapt and grow, despite the shift remaining subtle for now.

Many digital nomads prefer to travel during off-seasons to avoid crowds, take advantage of lower prices, and experience destinations at a slower pace. For Alaska, this presents a unique opportunity to extend tourism beyond the summer peak and into the shoulder seasons, spring and fall, when businesses typically see a downturn in visitors. If Alaska were to market itself as a remote-work-friendly destination, it could encourage professionals to visit during these quieter months. With fewer tourists on the trails, at national parks, and in downtown areas, remote workers could enjoy a more relaxed experience while still benefiting from the state’s natural beauty. Shoulder seasons in Alaska also offer distinct seasonal perks: spring brings longer daylight hours, wildlife emerging from hibernation, and early wildflower blooms, while fall offers stunning foliage, fewer mosquitoes, and prime opportunities for northern lights viewing.

For tourism businesses, attracting long-term visitors during the off-season could provide a much-needed financial cushion. Hotels and lodges that typically struggle with occupancy in the spring and fall could offer extended-stay discounts for remote workers. Tour operators could create flexible work-and-adventure packages, where travelers can book weekday excursions around their remote work schedules. Restaurants and coffee shops, often reliant on summer tourism, could adjust their offerings to accommodate a more consistent, year-round customer base.

Moreover, the state’s winter economy—which largely revolves around skiing, aurora tourism, and local events—could benefit from digital nomads willing to brave the colder months. If remote workers were incentivized to stay longer, they could help sustain businesses that often struggle in the off-season. However, challenges like seasonal road closures and limited access to services in more remote areas would need to be addressed.

Higher-Level Help

To capitalize on the rise of remote work, Alaska could introduce official digital nomad incentives, similar to what other states and countries have done. These initiatives could encourage remote workers to stay longer and contribute to local economies, particularly in regions outside major cities.

One approach would be financial incentives, such as relocation stipends or extended-stay discounts. Some states, like West Virginia and Oklahoma, offer up to $12,000 for remote workers to move there for a year. West Virginia’s Ascend program offers equal monthly payments totaling $12,000 to professionals who move there for two years. The Tulsa Remote program in Oklahoma offers remote workers $10,000 after they move to Tulsa and rent or purchase a home. While Alaska may not need to go that far, it could provide travel reimbursements, discounted lodging rates, or tax incentives for remote professionals who commit to staying a certain amount of time.

Another option is seasonal work permits for remote workers. Some countries have introduced digital nomad visas that allow professionals to live and work abroad while maintaining employment elsewhere. While the United States does not yet have such a visa, Alaska could explore a state-level initiative to encourage long-term stays. This could involve partnerships with local businesses that offer work-friendly accommodations, or even a pilot program that grants extended visitor stays in exchange for a commitment to spending locally.

Coworking hubs and improved infrastructure could further support digital nomads. Cities like Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks already have shared office spaces, but expanding this concept to tourism-heavy areas such as Girdwood, Seward, and Homer could make it easier for remote workers to stay productive while traveling. Investments in broadband expansion, especially in areas with lodging and outdoor attractions, would be crucial. Some lodges and RV parks are already integrating Starlink to provide better connectivity.

Finally, Alaska could launch a targeted marketing campaign to attract digital nomads, like Montana’s, Hawai’i’s, West Virginia’s, and Oklahoma’s efforts. Promoting the state’s natural beauty, adventure opportunities, and lack of a state income tax could appeal to remote workers looking for a scenic change of pace. Events like “Remote Work in Alaska” retreats or seasonal work-and-adventure programs could further encourage extended stays.

Is remote work changing the way people experience Alaska? For now, not significantly. While some locals take advantage of remote work to extend their fishing weekends, most tourism operators haven’t seen a broad shift toward long-term travel from out-of-state travelers. While Alaska may not yet be a top-tier digital nomad destination, with the right infrastructure and incentives, it has the potential to attract a steady flow of remote workers, particularly during the shoulder seasons when their economic impact would be most valuable.