ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT, TRADE AND TOURISM February 5, 2002 8:07 a.m. COMMITTEE CALENDAR  OVERVIEW: DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ALASKA TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION RE: TOURISM'S CONTRIBUTION TO ALASKA'S ECONOMY TAPES  02-1, SIDE(S) A & B 02-2, SIDE(S) A CALL TO ORDER  REPRESENTATIVE LESIL McGUIRE, Chair, called the House Special Committee on Economic Development, Trade and Tourism to order at 8:07 a.m. PRESENT  Committee members present were Representatives McGuire, Morgan, Dyson, and Guess. SUMMARY OF INFORMATION  JEFFREY W. BUSH, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED), gave a tourism summary from the DCED perspective and a departmental overview. Mr. Bush described the three economic sources in Alaska: 1) an economic base including tourism, oil and gas, mining, and so forth, 2) private support, including construction, trade, transportation, et cetera, and 3) state and local governments. In Mr. Bush's overview, he described various statistics relating to tourism trends in Alaska. TINA LINDGREN, President and Chief Operating Officer, Alaska Travel Industry Association, spoke about the state of the tourism industry in Alaska. Ms. Lindgren discussed the importance tourism has on the Alaskan economy and its effects on Alaskan communities. She also discussed trends in recent tourist activities, and the marketing of Alaska as a safe and premiere travel destination. LONNIE JACKSON, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Alaska Native Heritage Center (ANHC), testified on the role and accomplishments the ANHC has had in the tourism industry in Anchorage and Alaska. ALAN LeMASTERS, resident and small-business owner, Gakona, Alaska, commented via teleconference, discussing tourism issues that his community faces. Mr. LeMasters commented on the lack of highway traffic in the recent years and reasons as to why. He spoke about the importance of maintaining and adding rest stops along the highway. Mr. LeMasters also spoke about the new Princess lodge that was build and how the presence of such an establishment was beneficial to the community. ANNOUNCEMENTS  There were no announcements. COMMITTEE ACTION  The committee took no action. ADJOURNMENT  CHAIR McGUIRE adjourned the House Special Committee on Economic Development, Trade and Tourism meeting at 9:58 a.m. NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the House Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3, Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-Second Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.