"Seattle Hat Designer Makes Personal Connections with Cruise Passengers"

"...Over the 2023 and 2024 Alaska cruise seasons, Slye forged new connections that have boosted her business. Many cruise passengers found their way into her shop before or after their cruise, and she secured a partnership with Holland America Line (HAL) to bring her hats into its Denali National Park shops in Alaska. Her hats can be found in shops at McKinley Chalet Resort and Denali Princess Wilderness National Park. 

Now in its 25th year of cruises between Seattle and Alaska, cruise tourism has become a significant part of the local economy, contributing to hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs, and bringing nearly $900 million to the region in economic impact, bolstering small, local businesses like Slye’s.

Traditionally, hat shops like Slye’s are a destination for people who have researched the shop in advance and are serious about buying a hat. But Slye said tourists and cruise passengers have resulted in another type of customer. “A lot of people just walking past were very surprised to see a hat shop, and also were very happy to see one because they realized that they would actually be able to use a hat for their travels,” Slye said."

Read the full Port of Seattle article and watch the video here.