What is the Alaska Travel Industry Association?

Few undertakings are as challenging or rewarding as promoting Alaska tourism. At one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states, the “last frontier” is home to three million lakes, over 3,000 rivers, 17 of our nation’s 20 highest peaks, 100,000 glaciers and 15 national parks, preserves and monuments.

Promoting Alaska is the responsibility of the Alaska Travel Industry Association (AlaskaTIA). AlaskaTIA is a non-profit, membership-based, trade and marketing association organized in 2001 through a merger between the Alaska Visitors Association (AVA) and the Alaska Tourism Marketing Counsel (ATMC). The newly formed organization also assumed the marketing programs of the State of Alaska's Division of Tourism.

BACKGROUND

• THE ALASKA TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION MISSION: to promote travel to and within the state, develop a statewide marketing plan, increase overall awareness of the economic importance of the visitor industry and work cooperatively with the state on tourism development and long-range planning.
  
• MEMBERSHIP: Our growing membership ranges from family-run B&Bs to cruise lines. Ninety percent of our member businesses have under 50 employees; 60 percent have five employees or less.
  
• MARKETING CHALLENGE: For all of Alaska’s large-scale appeal, our state faces significant competition from other national destinations. According to the 2004-2005 Survey of U.S. State & Territory Tourism Office Budgets report, the average state tourism-marketing budget was $12.8 million - 38 state governments spent more on tourism marketing than Alaska. In FY06, Alaska’s total tourism marketing budget was $10 million - 50% from state government.
  
• IMPORTANCE OF MEMBERSHIP: Member participation is critical to grow Alaska’s national presence as a visitor destination. The combined contributions of our private members support our cooperative marketing efforts. This, in turn, allows Alaska’s many smaller business operators the means to promote their businesses outside Alaska.
  
• RETURN ON INVESTMENT: Though funding a national marketing program is challenging, the return on investment is considerable. Visitors spend an estimated $1,260 per-person, per-trip. In 2002, tourism's economic contribution reached over $1.5 Billion, representing 5.2% of Alaska's gross state product (GSP) and over 37,650 full time equivalent jobs.

AlaskaTIA’S MARKETING EFFORTS

• TOURISM IS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE: Because tourism remains one of the state’s most important economic engines and one of the few that is actually expanding, We manage a comprehensive marketing program to ensure the industry’s continued growth into the future.
  
• IMPORTANCE OF ONGOING RESEARCH: Utilizing years of research, our marketing experts identify the demographics and interests of the people who visit Alaska. Guided by this research, we continuously refines our marketing efforts to attract potential travelers from across the country, and around the world.
  
• BRANDING ALASKA: We have adopted (and registered as a trade mark) the following logo and tagline that reflects the opportunities and expectations this state offers to new and returning visitors:
  
                         
  
• USING MEDIA TO GENERATE AWARENESS: Public awareness of Alaska as a visitor destination is generated through advertising efforts using magazines, direct mail, television and the Internet. We continue to grow and refine our online presence through the consumer website, www.TravelAlaska.com.
  
• THE OFFICIAL ALASKA STATE VACATION PLANNER: A critical adjunct to our website is the annual publication of the comprehensive Official Alaska State Vacation Planner. The planner aids travelers in creating their ideal itinerary and identifies activities and services offered by our members.
  
• PUBLIC RELATIONS: We invest significant resources into public relations efforts to generate stories that promote Alaska as a visitor destination. These efforts coincide with a vigorous government relations program to improve conditions within the visitor industry.
  
• VISITOR FULFILLMENT: The association provides important information services to potential visitors and actively develops and shares potential visitor leads and planning information with businesses and numerous, statewide community partners.
  
• PROMOTING ALL MARKET SEGMENTS: In all our Marketing and Public Relations programs, we address specific markets such as adventure/ecotourism, sportfishing, winter, highway/Alaska Marine Highway and cultural/historic activities. A variety of project, programs and efforts actively promote these travel opportunities.
  
• EDUCATING TRAVEL AGENTS & TOUR OPERATORS: Creating interest in traveling to Alaska is not limited to consumers. We actively participat with travel agents and tour operators to educate, identify and build alliances with groups that actively promote or provide tour opportunities within the state.
  
• INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION: We participate in high potential international markets including Japan, German-Speaking Europe, Australia, Korea and the United Kingdom.
  

TOURISM IS THE ULTIMATE RENEWABLE RESOURCE.

We will continue to use all our resources to grow this critical industry.