Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205
03/06/2019 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
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| Presentation: Outdoor Recreation Industry: Open for More Business | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
March 6, 2019
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Chris Birch, Chair
Senator John Coghill, Vice Chair
Senator Lora Reinbold
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Scott Kawasaki
Senator Jesse Kiehl
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Cathy Giessel
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: OUTDOOR RECREATION INDUSTRY: OPEN FOR MORE
BUSINESS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
LEE HART, Founder
Confluence Alaska
Valdez, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of Alaska's outdoor
recreation industry.
NOLAN KLOUDA, Executive Director
Center for Economic Development
University of Alaska-Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the economic benefits from the
state's outdoor recreation industry.
MICHELE STEVENS, President
Petersville Community Non-Profit Corporation
Petersville, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of the SnowTRAC Program
for snowmobile trails in the state.
THOR STACEY, Director of Government Affairs
Alaska Professional Hunters Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of Alaska's guided
hunting industry.
MIKE HOPPER, Owner
The Lodge at Black Rapids
Black Rapids, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained a development plan for a hiking
route from Black Creek to Denali Park.
RHONDA COSTON, Planner
City and Borough of Yakutat
Yakutat, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the importance of outdoor
recreational development in the Yakutat area.
DAN KIRKWOOD, Co-Chair
Visitor Products Working Group
Juneau Economic Development Council
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Addressed the visitor industry in Southeast
Alaska.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:30:06 PM
CHAIR CHRIS BIRCH called the Senate Resources Standing Committee
meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Kiehl, Coghill, Reinbold, Kawasaki, Bishop, and Chair
Birch.
^PRESENTATION: Outdoor Recreation Industry: Open for More
Business
PRESENTATION: Outdoor Recreation Industry: Open for More
Business
3:30:34 PM
CHAIR BIRCH announced that the committee will hear multiple
presentations from Alaska's outdoor industry. He said the
presentations' overarching theme is that the Alaska outdoor
industry is an important and growing contributor to the state's
economy that is open for more business.
3:31:23 PM
LEE HART, Founder, Confluence Alaska, Valdez, Alaska, provided
her background information in the adventure travel marketing
industry. She said her intent is to explain how Confluence
Alaska will focus on building Alaska's future outdoor recreation
economy on behalf of more than 500 stakeholder businesses and
organizations across the state. The outdoor recreation industry
is a powerful economic sector that continues to gather statewide
momentum.
She addressed milestones for Alaska's outdoor recreation
industry as follows:
• Fall 2018:
o The Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis released
data on the U.S. outdoor recreation economy:
square4 $416 billion,
square4 2.2 percent of GDP,
square4 Larger than pharmaceuticals,
square4 Outpacing growth in many sectors including the
overall economy.
o University of Alaska report:
square4 Alaska grown outdoor product manufactures
including success stories from uniquely Alaskan
user-inspired innovations.
• January 2019:
o The State Association of Public Health
Professionals:
square4 Passed a resolution recognizing the value of
outdoor recreation to public health.
• Spring 2019:
o Report by eight states on the value of investing in
trails.
She said virtually every community and economic masterplan in
Alaska calls for greater outdoor recreation infrastructure
development. Trails and outdoor groups provide thousands of
hours of voluntary labor to build and maintain summer and winter
trails. In the past four years voters in Anchorage and the Mat-
Su Valley voted overwhelmingly to tax themselves to create more
outdoor and recreation infrastructure. Alaskans have been asking
for more of the close to home access to surrounding public lands
and waterways.
MS. HART noted that the Klondike Gold Rush, Glacier Bay, and
Denali national parks attract the majority of visitors to
Alaska's national parks. She asked committee members to imagine
the jobs and business opportunities that would benefit the many
gateway communities to the state's other 21-national parks, 16-
national wildlife refuges, multiple national forests, Bureau of
Land Management sites, and state parks.
She said the increased interest in outdoor recreation
development has led to Confluence Alaska being invited to speak
at conferences that includes: the Alaska Planner's Association,
Juneau's Innovation Summit, the Alaska Municipal League, and the
Alaska Travel Industry Association.
She opined that there is broad-based bipartisan support for
outdoor recreation at the federal level. U.S. Senator Lisa
Murkowski has championed greater investment in recreation
development and catching up on deferred maintenance on public
lands. The landmark Natural Resources Management Act recently
passed 92 to 8 in the Senate and 363 to 62 in the House.
3:33:58 PM
She stated that her colleagues during the overview will prove
the value of Alaska's outdoor recreation industry as follows:
• An invaluable user-financed program the benefits everyone
in the state.
• The state should do its part to keep federal support
flowing to help restore wildlife and sportfishing habitat,
build new trails for motorized and nonmotorized users, and
create all manner of outdoor recreation projects through
the newly passed and permanently reauthorized Land and
Water Conservation Fund.
She summarized that Confluence Alaska has sent a letter to the
governor, Commissioner Anderson for the Alaska Department of
Commerce, Community, and Economic Development; and Commissioner
Feige for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources asking for
an examination in ways in which the state might pursue potential
regulatory relief that would allow Alaska to create more
community close to home trails as well as businesses on the
state's public lands.
3:37:25 PM
NOLAN KLOUDA, Executive Director, Center for Economic
Development, University of Alaska-Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska,
announced that the Center for Economic Development is releasing
a report with the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development on outdoor recreation and economic
development in Alaska. The outdoor recreation industry on the
national level annually contributes $400 billion to the national
economy.
MR. KLOUDA detailed that the outdoor recreation report from the
Center for Economic Development's reveals the following:
• 12 activities accounted for the majority outdoor
recreation, including:
o Hunting,
o Fishing,
o Hiking,
o Motorized activities.
• Data tallying example:
o Kenai River fishing trip from Anchorage results in
gas, food, lodging, and charter boat purchases, the
Center tallied the results for residents and visitors
combined.
o $3.2 billion is spent on outdoor recreation trips.
o 38,000 jobs were created from the outdoor recreation
trips spending:
square4 Greater than 1 in 10 jobs in the state.
o Significant industry for Alaska in terms of
employment.
o Note:
square4 Gear purchased for recreation trips is not
counted because the Center does not have a good
data source.
3:40:42 PM
He said how the money is spent on outdoor recreation and how it
contributes to the state economy is only one facet. Quality of
life is another aspect that makes a place attractive to a
skilled workforce. Increasingly in economic development around
the country, states, regions, and municipalities compete to
attract talent.
He noted that Alaska's business leaders tend to say in surveys
that one of the biggest challenges that holds them back is not
having enough workers. Alaska has a small labor force that
requires amenities to attract people. According to a University
of Alaska-Fairbanks study, 60 percent of residents said one of
the big reasons they live in Alaska is because of opportunities
for outdoor recreation and that is one of the big draws to
living in the state. Outdoor recreation is an asset that can
keep people in Alaska that contributes to the economy as well as
attracting people to the state; that is the focus of efforts
like the Choose Juneau by the Juneau Economic Development
Council or the Live, Work, Play initiative by the Anchorage
Economic Development Corporation to retain a workforce.
MR. KLOUDA pointed out that the VF Corporation, parent company
of Smartwool, The North Face and other brands, recently moved
its headquarters to Colorado largely because the type of people
who work at their company are the kind of people who like to
play outside and being in Colorado is a great way to attract the
right kind of a workforce, the right kind of people to work
there, so there are lessons in that.
3:42:30 PM
He said another aspect is the way that outdoor recreation can be
a stimulus for entrepreneurship. Alaska has several leading
companies in the state that either make or design outdoor
recreation gear that is known nationally, recognized brands like
907 Clothing Company or Heather's Choice, a startup company that
makes freeze-dried foods. The state has real assets in the
entrepreneurship sector as far as the marketability of Alaska.
Companies can boast Made in Alaska or Tested in Alaska. The
state of Idaho had a Tested in Idaho effort to elevate the Idaho
brand of outdoor recreation, something that would feel a little
truer in Alaska.
SENATOR KIEHL asked him to expand on his statement that outdoor
recreation contributes 38,000 jobs to the state's economy. He
asked if the number of jobs would include a zipline business
that would see a lot of tourists during the summer or a summer
dogsledding excursion.
MR. KLOUDA replied that tour and recreation companies are
included and tend to be a large source of outdoor recreation
jobs. Accommodations and food service are other big categories.
3:45:06 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked him how many of the outdoor recreation jobs
are seasonal versus year-round.
MR. KLOUDA admitted that seasonal employment is a factor in
outdoor recreation jobs. Most seasonal jobs are during the
summer, but employment is broadening out as winter tourism
becomes more popular. The average in outdoor recreation jobs is
$50,000, roughly equivalent to the state average.
SENATOR BISHOP addressed the Center for Economic Development
report that Alaska ranks first in the U.S. for outdoor
recreation participation. He opined that the state gets bad
press for low rankings in other categories. He suggested that
the Center and legislators need to be bragging more that Alaska
is number one for outdoor participation and the story needs to
be out there.
MR. KLOUDA concurred with Senator Bishop and said the data
supports that outdoor participation is part of the Alaska
lifestyle.
SENATOR COGHILL asked him if the state's transportation
infrastructure needed to support outdoor recreation has been
addressed.
MR. KLOUDA replied that the report's focus is on improving
trails and access points, but transportation is not a focus area
in the report.
SENATOR COGHILL opined that someone may be addressing how to
improve aviation and ground transportation for outdoor
recreation.
3:47:55 PM
MS. HART replied that Senator Coghill's question is hard to
answer, but the state's aviation industry is part of the outdoor
recreation sector.
SENATOR COGHILL asked if emergency services to properly support
outdoor recreation has been taken into consideration.
MS. HART noted that individuals in Valdez with computer
backgrounds are working on using the state's geographic
information services (GIS) to help people better navigate the
back country.
SENATOR COGHILL explained that legislators continually ponder
the state's rescue services due to their high cost.
MS. HART concurred and noted other states are looking at
mechanisms for emergency services that are user financed to help
offset expenses, something that the industry might bring forward
to the Legislature.
3:50:16 PM
SENATOR COGHILL explained that he is bringing up emergency
services because legislators want to support increased outdoor
recreation, but people will be reluctant to do that if an
emergency response might be too late. He said there must be a
communication-transportation-safety link.
SENATOR REINBOLD noted her past involvement in a trail
management plan process in trying to get a green belt
designation for the Iditarod Trail. She asked if Confluence
Alaska could assist with the project.
MS. HART answered yes. She reiterated that Confluence Alaska has
forwarded a letter to state government officials to examine the
state's trail regulations and the interpretation of the trail
regulations to find if there is a way to move forward and make
the process easier.
3:52:54 PM
SENATOR REINBOLD remarked about the challenge she faced in
building trails in areas near schools, campgrounds, and
neighborhoods where a priority is given bears rather than trail
development.
MS. HART replied that Confluence Alaska sympathizes with Senator
Reinbold's frustration with trail development.
3:54:25 PM
MICHELE STEVENS, President, Petersville Community Non-Profit
Corporation, Petersville, Alaska, explained that the Snowmobile
Trails Advisory Council was established under Title 41 in 1997
through the Offices of the Division of Parks and Outdoor
Recreation with the mission to fairly represent all Alaskans by
advising the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation on
snowmobile issues including funding, safety, registration,
education, access, trail grooming, marking and development, and
maintenance.
She detailed that AS 28.39.020 authorizes the Division of Motor
Vehicles (DMV) to collect snowmobile and off-road vehicle
registration fees. The statute does not state what the fees will
go towards, however since inception the promise and
understanding was that DMV would transfer all fees generated to
the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and
Outdoor Recreation, thus creating a SnowTRAC program.
She explained that the SnowTRAC is funded through a self-imposed
user tax, or snowmobile registration fee. The program is self-
sustaining due to reoccurring registration fees collected from
DMV. SnowTRAC is a revenue neutral program that users asked for
and fund out of their own registration dollars. Twelve percent
of the funds cover the cost of state employees administering the
program and administrative costs. She emphasized that SnowTRAC
is not asking for a handout or any funds from the state budget.
MS. STEVENS said at the time SnowTRAC was initiated,
snowmobilers were advocating for recreation, transportation, and
subsistence use. There were very few marked and maintained
snowmobile trails. The consequences were high accident rates,
lost people on snowmobiles that results in search and rescue
costs to the state, winter conflicts among trail users, and
conflicts with private property owners.
She noted that the SnowTRAC program has been a success for
snowmobile trail development. More land is being purchased and
cabins are being built because of the ease and safety of the
trail system. Snowmobilers spend hundreds of thousands of
dollars in Alaska's winter economy which otherwise would be
slow. Winter tourism is on the rise because of groomed
snowmobile trails. An average snowmobiler spends $20,000-$50,000
in a season. A recent study by Earth Economics found that for
every dollar spent on public open space in the Mat-Su Valley
Borough resulted in a $5.31 return on investment.
She opined that groomed snowmobile trails have kept the state's
cost for search and rescue to a minimum because riders are less
likely to get lost on trails. Trails help first responders get
to the backcountry in an expedient manner thus helping the
victim sooner.
She summarized that snowmobile trails are multi-use that
benefits dogsledding, hikers, fat-tire bikers, and skiers. The
SnowTRAC program benefits all Alaskans and anyone who wants to
enjoy all that Alaska has to offer in the winter. SnowTRAC saves
lives, promotes safety, stimulates the economy, and creates
jobs. Without the SnowTRAC program, Alaska will be devastated
and closed for business in the winter.
4:00:12 PM
CHAIR BIRCH noted that he is a frequent user of the Big Lake
snowmobile trails. He opined that, "It's the best bang for the
buck the state of Alaska gets on anything as far as the dollars
spent with the volunteer service and support of the communities
around the state." He said there are a lot of people that do not
understand the Iron Dog Race lays the trail out for the
Iditarod.
MS. STEVENS noted that the Big Lake Trails grooms the trails for
the Iron Dog, Iditarod, and numerous dog races.
SENATOR REINBOLD said snowmobile trails are important, including
public safety benefits for first responder access.
SENATOR BISHOP asked how many miles of groomed trails Alaska has
and how many groomed trails do other states and Canadian
provinces have.
MS. STEVENS answered that Alaska had 200 miles in 1997 and
currently there is 2,000 miles of groomed trails.
SENATOR BISHOP asked what other states have for groomed trails.
MS. STEVENS answered that she does not know.
SENATOR BISHOP suggested that she know how many miles of groomed
trails there are in other states and provinces for upcoming
public commentary in Senate Finance.
4:04:40 PM
THOR STACEY, Director of Government Affairs, Alaska Professional
Hunters Association, Anchorage, Alaska, said guiding hunters in
Alaska is probably the original outdoor recreational industry.
Guided hunting is a mature industry in Alaska and some of the
issues that the industry has are analogous to challenges that
some of the newer opportunities are going to have in the future.
He specified that hunting guides are professionally licensed in
Alaska, noting that he has been a registered and active guide
for the past 20 years.
4:06:55 PM
He explained what a hunting guide does as follows:
• Activities include:
o Cooking,
o Cleaning,
o Packing animals,
o Judging animals,
o Preserving meat,
o Preserving trophies.
• Provides a high-quality-interpretive experience typically
over a 7 to 10-day period in the Alaska wilderness.
• Hunting guides must:
o Be competent in CPR,
o Handle animals,
o Know the weather,
o Know the laws and regulations of how to conduct a
legal hunt.
• Clients tend to be non-resident hunters who don't know much
about Alaska.
MR. STACEY explained that the guided hunting industry's
foundation is the guided-required species. A hunting guide had
to be retained by non-residents to hunt any animal during the
territorial days. After statehood the Legislature required
hunting guides to hunt Dall Sheep, brown bears or grizzly bears,
and mountain goats.
He said the reason for the requirements to hire a guide is the
difficulty of the terrain, safety aspects, search and rescue,
and some of the inherent issues with going after the largest
land carnivore, the brown bears and grizzly bears. The resource
represents a significant value nationally and internationally.
4:09:01 PM
He addressed economic impacts of guided hunting in Alaska:
• Total economic output for the guide industry in 2015 was
$87.2 million.
• New dollars from outside spending accounted for $52
million.
He addressed "meat sharing" from guided hunting as follows:
• Not just about economic opportunity.
• Very small amount would qualify as animals being turned
into dollars.
• Guides share high quality, wild protein across the state.
• In one year, hunting guides shared 230,000 pounds of game
meat.
He addressed supporting wildlife conservation as follows:
• The guided hunting industry supports the management of the
state-owned resource.
• Alaskans own the wildlife.
• Non-residents pay elevated fees for hunting licenses and
for hunting tags.
• Non-resident hunters account for 13 percent of the hunter
effort but contribute 72 percent of the money to the
Division of Wildlife for wildlife management.
MR. STACEY detailed the guided hunting industry's microeconomics
as follows:
• 300 contracting guides in the state.
• In 2012:
o 152 guided hunters were Alaska residents,
o 3,055 guided hunters were non-residents.
• 46 percent of the revenue occurred on state lands, the
remainder on federal lands.
• 89 percent of guided hunting businesses are Alaskan owned.
4:12:45 PM
He pointed out the guided hunting industry's future risks and
opportunities as follows:
• Risks:
o Loss of state management authority:
square4 Diminishment in the wildlife resource.
square4 Guided hunting is a resource dependent business.
square4 Wildlife conservation for the resource's health
comes first.
o Loss of critical non-resident allocation:
square4 Reliance of non-resident allocation at the Board
of Game level.
square4 Thirteen percent of the state's hunters are non-
resident, but only three percent are guided
hunting clients.
square4 Small changes in resident allocation at the Board
of Game has a significant impact on the guided
hunting industry:
• Many of the guide businesses guide between
five to seven clients a year.
He addressed opportunities as follows:
• Support for concessions or a lease structure on state
lands:
o Industry can survive drawing hunt schemes.
o Adds value to the resource.
o Provides predictable opportunity on an annual basis.
o Derive benefit from a limited amount of opportunity.
o Incentivizes stewardship:
square4 The public, who owns the resource, is not going
to want to see the industry's use continue
without stewardship.
• Improve relationship with native corporation lands as
follows:
o Alaska Native Claims Settlement (ANCSA) corporations
hold many millions of acres, most not open to guides.
o Work with ANCSA corporations to provide opportunities
for the rural economy.
o Improving relationship involves trust.
4:15:42 PM
CHAIR BIRCH asked if hunting guides share bear meat.
MR. STACEY answered that statewide bear meat sharing is limited,
except for Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. He
pointed out that bear meat can have trichinosis and must be
handled correctly. He noted that bears are omnivores, so their
diet varies which impacts the meat's taste.
SENATOR REINBOLD asked if Mr. Stacey has suggestions on
controlling bear populations in urban areas for public safety
reasons.
4:18:10 PM
MR. STACEY suggested that the solution is to develop a working
group that puts together a management plan that addresses the
community's value on wildlife pertaining to killing bears within
city limits. He added that trash and habituation measures must
be addressed as well. He said there are excellent examples from
communities around the state that have been challenged by bears
but have successfully dealt with them to benefit of children,
private property owners, and ultimately the animal themselves.
4:20:12 PM
MIKE HOPPER, Owner, The Lodge at Black Rapids, Black Rapids,
Alaska, detailed that he organized an exploratory hike from
Black Rapids, which is located on the Richardson Highway in
Isabel Pass, to Denali Park. He noted that he watched guys race
from Black Rapids to Denali Park in the Wilderness Classic and
figured walking the route was possible.
He explained that he organized a team in August 2018 to see if
it is possible to find a doable backpacking route from Black
Rapids to Denali Park. He opined that the proposed route is a
hidden resource that is awe inspiring with nothing comparable in
the U.S. and rivals anything in the world. He admitted that
obstacles need to be addressed for safety purposes, specifically
river crossings and white out conditions from low clouds.
MR. HOPPER disclosed that after his trip he immediately got in
touch with the Interior Delegation and shared photographic and
video footage from the experience. He said the delegation
suggested that he meet with legislators and that is the reason
why he is meeting with committee members to see what it would
take to develop the route.
4:26:09 PM
SENATOR BISHOP asked if Mr. Hopper packed a raft for his
expedition.
MR. HOPPER answered no. He opined that bringing a raft would not
have helped.
SENATOR BISHOP stated that what Mr. Hopper did was remarkable
and said he was envious. He asked that Mr. Hopper note what
Harry Karstens and Walter Harper did, [first climbers to ascend
Mt. Denali in 1913.]
MR. HOPPER replied that he has the utmost admiration for the
noted climbers, pointing out that they did not have light-weight
gear.
SENATOR REINBOLD asked to confirm that Mr. Hopper's hike was on
the eastern Alaska Range.
MR. HOPPER answered yes.
SENATOR REINBOLD suggested that Mr. Hopper meet with Alaska
Trails.
MR. HOPPER replied that he is meeting with Alaska Trails the
following week.
CHAIR BIRCH asked if the Cantwell Glacier is near Black Rapids.
MR. HOPPER answered yes.
4:30:01 PM
MS. HART announced that she will speak on behalf of Alaska
Trails. She said Chris Beck, Secretary for Alaska Trails, was
unable to attend. She explained that Mr. Beck is the ringleader
for an effort by eight trail entities, including the Iditarod
National Historic Area, to look at close to home trails and
long-distance-through trails for their value to residents and
visitors.
MS. HART explained that Alaska Trails addressed the impact of
keeping visitors one day longer and its value to the state from
trails. A conservative estimate is that one day longer would add
up to $137 million of benefit to the Alaska economy if half of
the visitors stayed one more day.
She said Confluence Alaska is compiling a report that will
provide case studies demonstrating the transformative power when
communities and countries consciously choose to invest in
outdoor recreation. Outdoor-recreation-based tourism revitalized
the former timber town of Bend, Oregon and the former uranium
mining town of Moab, Utah. New focus is being placed on the coal
mining state of West Virginia. At a recent innovation summit
tourism representatives from Iceland talked about how a focus on
attracting visitors to their unique natural offerings saved
their country from the economic collapse of 2008.
She said the report due out in spring 2019 will provide local
and state planners with information on why investing in outdoor
recreation is a wise choice. Every dollar spent in trail
development generates anywhere from $5 to $13.
SENATOR REINBOLD noted that resistance occurs with any project.
She said there is a clear economic increase from trails that are
close to home.
MS. HART concurred with Senator Reinbold, noting that she has
data to support her statement.
4:34:28 PM
RHONDA COSTON, Planner, City and Borough of Yakutat, Yakutat,
Alaska, disclosed that she has been the planner in Yakutat for
five years and her field of study was outdoor recreation
management. She provided her background information to committee
members.
She said Yakutat is known as a sport fishing and surfing
destination, but other exciting outdoor adventure opportunities
that are less unknown exist.
MS. COSTON noted that Yakutat is the gateway to national and
state parks and forests. She opined that developed recreation
and improved visitor services will improve the quality of life
for residents and encourage visitation to the Yakutat area
resulting in improved small business development opportunities.
She explained that Yakutat's goal is to extend its existing
infrastructure in the shoulder seasons by promoting the area as
an outdoor recreation destination. She stated that outdoor
recreation is an emerging economic driver that open a world of
future opportunities for Yakutat. She emphasized that, Yakutat
is open for more business.
4:37:02 PM
DAN KIRKWOOD, Co-Chair, Visitor Products Working Group, Juneau
Economic Development Council, Juneau, Alaska, disclosed that he
is also a guide and the general manager of Pack Creek Bear Tours
that, a business committed to safe and informative interactions
with brown bears.
He said the Juneau Economic Development Council has a working
group that has been convened since 2011, originally as part of
the U.S. Forest Service's desire to move forward and support
diverse industries. The working group is looking to find
opportunities to enhance visitor industry growth, address the
needs of the industry, and to address conflicts and issues. The
working group has become an important source of advocacy for
visitor industry in Southeast Alaska to speak to the industry's
issues and work with the U.S. Forest Service as well as the
state.
He disclosed that one of the things the working group realized
is the incredible brand Alaska has. He opined that Alaska is a
world class brand that is unmatched. He said a person can go
anywhere in the world and say Alaska and people will know what
the meaning is, and that is why visitors are coming to the
state.
He said the good news for the visitor industry in Southeast
Alaska is that 1.3 million people are expected to visit on
cruise ships. According to Southeast Conference, employment in
the visitor industry sector from 2014-2017 is up 12 percent with
earnings up 23 percent. During the great recession the visitor
industry brought over $1 billion in economic activity to
Southeast Alaska alone.
MR. KIRKWOOD said the visitor industry in Southeast Alaska is
not just cruise ships. Air travel visitation during 2014-2017
was up 15 percent, a sector that includes hunters, the people
going to fishing lodges, and the independent traveler that is
spending more in hotels, restaurants, and communities.
He opined that the focus must be on making sure that the
visiting experience remains great for both the locals and
visitors alike.
He asserted that the state has an unparalleled resource of
scenery, fish, and wildlife that is very much the basis of the
visitor industry. Alaska is unlike anything in the world and
that is certainly the state's competitive advantage.
He summarized to continue the visitor industry's growth in a
good way and to focus on keeping the experience great,
accomplishments must be measured to know what is being
accomplished.
4:40:26 PM
SENATOR KIEHL commended Mr. Kirkwood for some of the work he and
his team did to reduce lead times for permits in the Tongass
National Forest for recreational businesses.
CHAIR BIRCH shared a travel story and concurred with Mr.
Kirkwood on the Alaska brand.
4:42:09 PM
At ease.
4:43:04 PM
CHAIR BIRCH called the committee back to order.
MS. HART summarized that the outdoor recreation industry is not
asking for money, but asking for opportunity to be, more open
for business. She reiterated that the governor has been asked to
create a blue ribbon task force to look at ways to open the door
even further for the outdoor recreation industry by reducing the
burden for business owners to help others explore Alaska and to
make it easier for community-based trail groups who have the
funding and manpower to create close to home trails that are
community assets and visitor attractions.
4:45:06 PM
She provided a video presentation on the importance of the
outdoor recreation industry in Alaska.
4:48:42 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Birch adjourned the Senate Resources Standing Committee
meeting at 4:48 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Confluence AK Handout 3.6.19.pdf |
SRES 3/6/2019 3:30:00 PM |
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| (2) University of Alaska CED Handout.pdf |
SRES 3/6/2019 3:30:00 PM |
|
| (3) Petersville CNPC Handout 2.28.19.pdf |
SRES 3/6/2019 3:30:00 PM |
|
| (4) APHA Handout 3.6.19.pdf |
SRES 3/6/2019 3:30:00 PM |
|
| (5) EARTH Handout 3.6.19.pdf |
SRES 3/6/2019 3:30:00 PM |
|
| (6) Alaska Trails Handout 3.6.19.pdf |
SRES 3/6/2019 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Economic Impacts of Guided Hunting in Alaska Feb 2014.pdf |
SRES 3/6/2019 3:30:00 PM |