Page 273 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  271

Taxes and Tipping rental desks may have to pay Smoking
While Alaska does not have up to 29 percent extra to cover As in the rest of America, Alaska’s
a state sales tax, most cities airport maintenance. attitude toward smok ing has
and boroughs impose local Service is not included on changed dramatically and
sales taxes. These can be up restaurant checks, and the tip is towns are moving to restrict
to 8 percent of the purchase usually 15 percent (see pp246–7). where smoking is permitted.
price, added to the total at Taxi drivers will expect around Smoking is banned in all public
the checkout. A host of taxes $5, depending on the fare. At buildings, shops, and pub lic
are imposed on goods and hotels, tip $2 per bag and $1 transport vehicles. Most
ser vices that apply mainly to per day or more for the room accommodation options are
tourists. A bed tax applies cleaner. In wilderness lodges, also smoke-free, although a
to B&Bs, hotels, hostels, lodges, the tip is given to the desk few may offer specific rooms
and some campsites. A clerk, to be divided among the where smoking is allowed.
statewide $40 per head tax staff. While tour guides get In Anchorage, Barrow,
is applied to all cruise ship about $10 per day, depending Haines, Juneau, Petersburg,
passengers. Rental cars are on the service, fishing guides Sitka, and Unalaska, all
also subject to tax, and drivers often get a sum commensurate restaurants and bars are
renting vehicles from airport with the success of the trip. smoke-free by local ordinance.
DIRECTORY
Travel Safety Mat-Su Convention Southeast Alaska Dawson City Visitors’
Advice and Visitors’ Bureau Center
Tel 746-5000. Haines Convention Tel (867) 993-5566
Australia ∑ alaskavisit.com and Visitors’ Bureau (summer), (867) 993-
Department of Foreign Tel 766-2234. 5575 (winter).
Affairs and Trade Palmer Chamber of ∑ visithaines.com ∑ dawsoncity.ca
∑ dfat.gov.au Commerce Juneau Convention
∑ smartraveller.gov.uk Tel 745-2880. and Visitors’ Bureau Wrangell-St. Elias
National Park
UK ∑ palmerchamber.org Tel 586-2201. Visitors’ Center
Foreign and ∑ traveljuneau.com Tel 822-5234.
Commonwealth Office The Kenai Ketchikan Visitor ∑ nps.gov/wrst
∑gov.uk/foreign- Peninsula Information Center
travel-advice Alaska Maritime Tel 225-6166. Southwest Alaska
US National Wildlife ∑ visit-ketchikan.com Kodiak Island
US Department of State. Refuge Petersburg Visitor Convention and
∑ travel.state.gov 95 Sterling Hwy, Homer. Information Center Visitors’ Bureau
Tel 235-6961. Tel 772-4636. Tel 486-4782.
Visitor ∑ islandsandocean.org ∑ kodiak.org
Information ∑ petersburg.org
Homer Chamber of Sitka Convention and Unalaska/Dutch
Alaska Department Commerce Visitors’ Visitors’ Bureau Harbor Convention
of Fish and Game Center Tel 747-8604. ∑ sitka.org and Visitors’ Bureau
Tel 465-4100. Tel 235-7740. Tel 581-2612.
∑ adfg.alaska.gov ∑ homeralaska.org Skagway Convention ∑ unalaska.info
and Visitors’ Bureau
Alaska Public Lands Kenai Fjords Tel 983-2854.
Information Centers National Park ∑ skagway.com Arctic and
605 W 4th Ave, Anchorage. Visitors’ Center Western Alaska
Tel 644-3661. Tel 422-0500. Western Interior Inupiat Heritage
∑ alaskacenters.gov ∑ nps.gov/kefj Alaska Center
Alaska Travel Industry Seward Convention Barrow. Tel 852-0422.
Association and Visitors Bureau Denali National Park ∑ nps.gov/inup
2600 Cordova St, Suite 201, Tel 224-8051. Visitor Access Center Nome Visitors’ Center
Anchorage. Tel 929-2200. ∑ seward.com Tel 683-2294. Tel 443-6555.
∑ travelalaska.com ∑ nps.gov/dena ∑ visitnomealaska.
Anchorage Prince William Fairbanks com
Convention and
Sound Visitors’ Bureau Northwest Arctic
Anchorage Tel 456-5774. Heritage Center
Convention and Cordova Chamber of Kotzebue. Tel 442-3890.
Visitors’ Bureau Commerce ∑ explorefairbanks.com ∑ nps.gov/kova/
524 W 4th Ave, Anchorage. Tel 424-7260. parknews/nwahc.htm
Tel 257-2363. ∑ cordovachamber. Eastern Interior
∑ anchorage.net com Alaska
Chugach State Park Valdez Convention Copper Valley
Eagle River Nature and Visitors’ Bureau Chamber of Commerce
Center Tel 835-2984. Tel 822-5555.
Tel 694-2108. ∑ ernc.org ∑ valdezalaska.org ∑ traveltoalaska.com

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