Legislature(2021 - 2022)BARNES 124
03/24/2022 11:00 AM House ARCTIC POLICY, ECONOMIC DEV., & TOURISM
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Alaska Tourism Update | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ARCTIC POLICY,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM
March 24, 2022
11:03 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Grier Hopkins, Chair
Representative Sara Hannan
Representative Liz Snyder
Representative Harriet Drummond
Representative Mike Prax
Representative Tom McKay (via teleconference)
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Josiah Patkotak
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): ALASKA TOURISM UPDATE
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
SARAH LEONARD, President & CEO
Alaska Travel Industry Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a PowerPoint presentation on behalf of
ATIA during the presentation titled "Alaska Tourism Update."
SCOTT MCCREA, President & CEO
Explore Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a PowerPoint presentation on behalf of
Explore Fairbanks during the presentation titled "Alaska Tourism
Update."
JULIE SAUPE, President & CEO
Explore Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a PowerPoint presentation on behalf of
Explore Anchorage during the presentation, titled "Alaska
Tourism Update."
LIZ PERRY, President & CEO
Travel Juneau
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a PowerPoint presentation on behalf of
Travel Juneau during the presentation titled "Alaska Tourism
Update."
ACTION NARRATIVE
11:03:47 AM
CHAIR GRIER HOPKINS called the House Special Committee on Arctic
Policy, Economic Development, and Tourism meeting to order at
[11:03] a.m. Representatives Prax, Hannan, McKay (via
teleconference), Drummond, Snyder, and Hopkins were present at
the call to order.
^PRESENTATION(S): Alaska Tourism Update
PRESENTATION(S): Alaska Tourism Update
11:05:15 AM
CHAIR HOPKINS announced that the only order of business would be
a presentation titled "Alaska Tourism Update"
11:06:17 AM
SARAH LEONARD, President & CEO, Alaska Travel Industry
Association, gave a PowerPoint presentation on behalf of ATIA
during the presentation titled "Alaska Tourism Update." She
began the presentation on slide 2, which detailed the makeup of
the Alaska Travel Association (ATIA) and moved to slide 3, which
emphasized the importance of Alaska's travel branding as an
asset. She continued to slide 4, which detailed the economic
impacts of Alaskan tourism in 2019 and moved through slides 5-6,
which described how "Alaska is doing now" with regard to its
travel industry. She continued through slides 7-8, which
described Alaska's travel trends as an outlook on its future as
an industry in the state and moved to slide 9, which proposed
the idea of arctic tourism in Alaska. She continued to slide
10, which warned of possible roadblocks in the advancement of
tourism in Alaska and moved to slide 11, which spoke to the
employment opportunities that Alaska's tourism industry
provides.
11:24:16 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked if the ATIA was in communication with
high schools and universities in Alaska to make students aware
of employment opportunities in tourism.
MS. LEONARD answered that the ATIA was in partnership with other
agencies like the Department of Labor and Workforce Development
(DLWD) to enlighten both high school and college students in
Alaska of the opportunities available to them.
11:26:28 AM
CHAIR HOPKINS asked how the J-1 visa program's status would
affect tourism employment in Alaska.
MS. LEONARD said that the ATIA was keeping an eye on the J-1 via
program and explained that the visa was beneficial to Alaskan
tourism, but it was a very limited and restricted program.
11:28:55 AM
MS. LEONARD resumed the presentation on slide 12, which
explained the annual revenue that the State of Alaska received
from tourism and continued to slide 13, which highlighted how
little Alaska spent in comparison to other states with tourism
marketing campaigns. She concluded the presentation on slide
14, which listed Fiscal Year 2023 capital budget allocation for
tourism in Alaska.
11:32:02 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked what specific places had received
support from the state for their tourism industries.
MS. LEONARD explained that certain policies like an electric
vehicle revenue tax are an example of a state-sponsored benefit
to a local tourism economy and said that the state is working to
promote Alaska as a tourist destination on a whole.
11:36:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER asked Ms. Leonard for more detail on a
previous slide concerning financial discrepancies.
MS. LEONARD explained that the outspending figure was directly
tied to the money spent by the Department of Commerce,
Community, and Economic Development on tourism promotion.
11:41:07 AM
SCOTT MCCREA, President & CEO, Explore Fairbanks, gave a
PowerPoint presentation on behalf of Explore Fairbanks during
the presentation titled "Alaska Tourism Update." He began the
presentation on slide 2, which detailed the outsized impact of
the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the tourism industry in
Fairbanks and continued to slide 3, which displayed a bar graph
that compared both winter and summer tourism spending in
Fairbanks. He moved to slide 4, which displayed another bar
graph that outlined cruise passengers in Alaska between 2019-
2022 and continued to slide 5, which briefly touched on the
Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB)'s 2021 COVID-19 remarketing
plan. He moved to slide 6, which described opportunities and
challenges facing Fairbanks tourism in 2022 and concluded the
presentation on slide 7.
11:50:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked if there would be more hotels and
housing spaces opening for summer use in Fairbanks.
MR. MCREA replied that there are currently seasonal operating
housing buildings owned by cruise corporations that are used to
house employees and travelers.
11:53:28 AM
CHAIR HOPKINS asked if there was any outreach work being done by
Explore Fairbanks to homeowners willing to rent some of their
property.
MR. MCCREA answered that Explore Fairbanks was working to
navigate the challenge of tourist housing.
11:55:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER remarked the importance of ensuring
affordable housing remain a key policy initiative by both the
Alaska State Legislature and corporations who provide employment
in the state.
11:56:03 AM
JULIE SAUPE, President & CEO, Explore Anchorage, gave a
PowerPoint presentation on behalf of Explore Anchorage during
the presentation titled "Alaska Tourism Update." She began the
brief presentation on slide 2, which gave a broad overview of
Anchorage's 2021 tourism statistics and concluded the
presentation on slide 3, which gave a detailed outlook for
Anchorage tourism in 2022 and beyond.
12:08:58 PM
LIZ PERRY, President & CEO, Travel Juneau, gave a PowerPoint
presentation on behalf of Travel Juneau during the presentation
titled "Alaska Tourism Update." She began the presentation on
slide 1, which gave a broad overview of tourism data from 2021
and moved to slide 2, which further detailed tourism statistics
from 2021. She continued to slide 3, which spoke to the lodging
occupancy rates during the 2021 tourism season and concluded the
presentation on slide 4, which emphasized the importance of an
investment from the Alaska State Legislature in the state's
tourism industry.
12:20:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN asked who took the photo of the bear in
the final slide of Ms. Perry's presentation and also asked if
the photo was taken at Pack Creek.
MS. PERRY said that she did not know but would follow up soon.
12:21:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX complimented Juneau on its economic recovery
made after the COVID-19 pandemic and opined that there could be
great opportunity in making people more aware of more niche
tourism activities in Juneau. He commented at the importance of
expanding the sale of made in Alaska goods.
MS. PERRY assured Representative Prax that
12:25:18 PM
CHAIR HOPKINS asked how the reopening of the capitol had
impacted winter business and lodging in Juneau.
MS. PERRY said that the reopening has had a "big difference" in
Juneau.
12:26:41 PM
CHAIR HOPKINS thanked the presenters and delivered committee
announcements.
12:27:19 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Arctic Policy, Economic Development, and
Tourism meeting was adjourned at 12:27 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| ATIA 03242022.pdf |
HAET 3/24/2022 11:00:00 AM |
|
| Explore Fairbanks 03242022.pdf |
HAET 3/24/2022 11:00:00 AM |
|
| Visit Anchorage 03242022.pdf |
HAET 3/24/2022 11:00:00 AM |
|
| Travel Juneau 03242022.pdf |
HAET 3/24/2022 11:00:00 AM |