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AlaskaTIA Background
As an association, the Alaska Travel Industry Association (AlaskaTIA) was formed in 2000 with the merger of the Alaska Visitors Association (AVA) and the Alaska Tourism Marketing Council (ATMC). We are a trade and marketing trade association representing over 1,100 large and small tourism and travel-related businesses throughout the state of Alaska.
AlaskaTIA offices are located in Anchorage, Alaska, with a staff of 19 who work under the guidance of a board of directors comprised of 23 tourism and travel business leaders who represent and work for its 1,100 businesses.
The AlaskaTIA Board of Directors establishes overall policy, gives budget approval, and provides oversight for all programs. The Marketing Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors and is charged with the responsibility of developing the annual marketing plan. The role of the Marketing Committee is to plan and execute a global marketing campaign promoting Alaska as a prime visitor destination that will increase the economic impact of tourism throughout Alaska. Professional staff and contractors, under the direction of the Board of Directors and its Marketing Committee, implement the marketing plan.
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One of the more effective ways the board listens to gain valuable input from its membership is at the annual AlaskaTIA membership convention. The convention draws approximately 600 tourism industry businesses. It is an ideal opportunity for the membership to gain valuable business skills through seminar sessions and address their specific concerns and issues to the AlaskaTIA board and staff.
Besides the Board and Marketing Committee, AlaskaTIA staff work with other tourism industry stakeholders, such as Convention & Visitors Bureaus, other Alaska travel related industry associations, and neighboring governmental tourism jurisdictions in the development of the worldwide marketing campaign. In cooperation with the State of Alaska – Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED), AlaskaTIA’s marketing efforts have been industry lead, market driven and research based. Our objective is to continue to deliver an effective return on investment for tourism and tourism businesses in Alaska.
Trade Association Responsibilities
As a trade association, AlaskaTIA strives to work for and understand the needs of Alaska’s tourism businesses. We review and attempt to speak to a number of land use, planning governmental, community and regional issues for our membership. As the statewide tourism association, we monitor and track tourism issues that may impact tourism businesses in Alaska. We work to provide comment and input on behalf of our membership for federal, state, and local planning and environmental processes.
The AlaskaTIA has addressed a variety of issues that have had an impact on our industry and membership including:
- Glacier Bay entry permitting
- Tongass shoreline outfitters plan
- Designation of scenic highways and byways in Alaska
- Addressed targeted and specific tourism taxation issues
- Commented on the state transportation improvement project
- Halibut IFQ
- Visa - Passport Issues
Marketing Responsibilities
In partnership with our private sector members, other travel jurisdictions and the State of Alaska - DCCED, AlaskaTIA works hard to bring more visitors to Alaska. AlaskaTIA is the statewide organization responsible for key tourism functions including marketing the state as a travel destination worldwide. The Association is under contract with the State of Alaska to serve as its official tourism marketing organization.
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