Alaska is the only place in the US where you can see the northern lights
According to the Alaska Travel Industry Association, in June-September 2016, the number of foreign tourists, excluding Canadians, grew to 167,000. That is 13,000 more than in the same period in 2011. Many travel to Alaska precisely at this time of year, when the days are longer and there is more sun. On June 21 in Anchorage, the length of daylight is 19 hours, in Fairbanks – 22 hours.
Most tourists (38 percent) come to Alaska from Europe, but according to the association, the number of tourists from China, India, Australia, and New Zealand is also growing. They are attracted by the interesting events and bright attractions that take place here.
Tourists can visit one of Alaska's eight national parks, go on a ski trip, and admire the mountains and glaciers. Other popular outdoor activities include kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, glacier climbing, and rafting. They also come for fishing: the ocean has halibut and king salmon, and Alaska's numerous rivers, streams, and lakes have large trout.
Alaska is one of the most suitable regions for wildlife viewing. While rafting on the Kongakut River near the coast of the Arctic Ocean, you will definitely see grizzly bears, entire herds of caribou, and golden eagles. If you stay in one of the many hunting lodges, you can not only enjoy the silence but also observe the inhabitants of the local forests.
Alaska's wildlife attracts tourists from around the world
Alaska is home to bald eagles (which are the national symbol of the United States), bears, caribou, and many other animals. As the largest state in the country by area, it also has the lowest population density. However, nowadays there are other ways to traverse the icy expanses besides dog sledding, although dog sledding remains Alaska's main sport.
Railroad excursions in Alaska are one of the most popular types of recreation among foreign tourists. Travelers safely watch the ever-changing landscape from the window of a comfortable carriage. The length of railroad tracks in Alaska is 756 kilometers, laid from the city of Seward on the Kenai Peninsula north to Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks.
From mid-September to the end of April, tourists flock to Alaska to see the northern lights – a spectacular phenomenon of Arctic nature. On a clear night, dazzling reflections of light, green, blue, red, and purple, 'dance' across the starry sky. This glow is formed in the upper layers of the atmosphere as a result of the collision of charged particles of the solar wind with gas particles.
Every year in March, dog sled races called the 'Iditarod' are held. A musher with a team of 16 dogs covers the snowy trail of 1,688 kilometers from Anchorage to Nome in 8-15 days. About 50 athletes participate in the race, most of them natives of the state, but in recent years the competition has become international, with representatives from 14 countries having participated.
Denali National Park is located in the very center of Alaska
Tourism association employee Tani Carlson says: 'Alaska is an ideal place to receive foreign guests. They want not only to have an interesting leisure time but also to experience something new, for example, to observe wildlife or go on an air tour to see the sights from above.'
Based on materials from the portal Share.America.gov