Greg Gerber posted on October 09, 2008 08:56
ANCHORAGE -- More came by air. Fewer by car or RV. And at the end of Alaska's tourist season it looks like the state hosted about 1.7 million visitors this year, roughly the same number as last year.
"Frankly, we were relieved that the number was flat," said Ron Peck, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association.. The Alaska industry markets itself mostly to the Lower 48, and the soft economy there brought worries that the tourist traffic could fall off.
Peck thinks Alaska visitor traffic didn't fall because of its strong brand -- a place of mountains, glaciers and wildlife in true wilderness. The generic brochures for many other destinations -- what he called Generica America -- look alike: theme park, beach, sporting activity.
Within Alaska's overall flat number of visitors, Peck did note some movement:
• The number of foreign visitors grew 6 to 8 percent, thanks to the falling value of the dollar relative to foreign currencies. Peck estimates that more than one out of 20 visitors is from a foreign country.
• Alaska Highway traffic was down. Peck estimated 60,000 visitors arrived via highway this summer, compared with 75,000 last year. The high cost of fuel seems to account for the drop, he said.
• Revenue from car rentals at Anchorage's international airport will grow to an estimated $34.2 million this year, up 6 percent. Peck thinks that reflects a slight increase in independent travel to Alaska.
Cruise ships remain the foundation of Alaska's visitor industry, carrying three out of every five tourists. In all, Peck estimates the cruise industry served 1.03 million visitors this year, the same as last year.
SOURCE: Anchorage Daily News