Alaska Sees Steady And Slow Upward Climb Of Visitor Numbers In 2010

Travelers in the Anchorage Airport 

Last winter, we told you that Independent tourism, driven by Reality TV and increased airline seats, with lower prices, was going to make this a good summer for tourism.

Thanks to a huge wave of Independents, many businesses had a better summer than they thought they would. A look across the state reveals just how big the surge in Independent
travelers was.

Not all the figures are in yet, but here's what we've found, from press releases, websites and interviews.

Travel Is Up In Alaska - Statewide 

Remember when, back in July, the Anchorage Daily News reported...

"Anchorage officials are forecasting that hotel room tax revenue will decline nearly 8% this year, mainly due to the reduction in cruise-ship visitors."

But, Anchorage Visitors Are Up 

Bed taxes didn't go down after all, in Anchorage. They went up. In October, KTUU reported an interview with Julie Saupe, of the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau...

Rental car section of Ted Stevens Airport in Anchorage, Alaska. 

"...Saupe says local hotels saw a 10 percent increase in bed tax
revenues this year, and the tourism season was better than expected."

This means that Independent visitors had to make up for both the 8% loss of
cruise ship passengers -- plus add that 10% increase.

Independents turned the Anchorage summer around.

Valdez Bed Taxes Are Up, Too 

We called the Valdez Finance Department.

Valdez has a 6% sales tax, on 8 hotels and 23 B&B's,

"We're sitting at $213,000 -- but we still have a full quarter (to tally)," they said.
"And this is our big quarter, too. It'll significantly increase. It will probably go
up to around $400,000. This time last year, we were at $184,000."

Mat-Su Borough Is Up 

The Borough sent us the following bed tax figures

for a 4-year period:
2007 994,443
2008 1,038,308
2009 1,037,673
2010 1,285,834

Fairbanks Is On The Rise Again 

In the city of Fairbanks, bed taxes are up 8% over last year.

This follows a 13% downward plunge in 2009. (Which Deb
Hickok of the Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau told us would have
been worse if Fairbanks didn't have a such a strong winter tourism industry.)

She told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner...

"...Businesses with a mix of clients, that have independent travelers as well
as some group tours, including cruises, and tourists visiting friends and
family, and some local traffic, in general have fared better in 2010 than
in 2009."

Travel Is Up In North Pole 

We were in North Pole in October. Mayor Doug Isaacson told us he didn't have

final bed tax figures yet. But, he said...

"The good news is, it's up from last year."

Border Crossings Are Up 

The Tok Visitor Center reported an 8% increase this year at the Canada/US border.

Wrangell-St. Elias Park Visitors Are Up  

Park Superintendent Meg Jensen told the Greater Copper Valley Chamber last month that 25% more visitors came to the park. (That's a lot, considering the nearby Copper River Princess cut back the number of days it was open last summer.)

Copper Valley Visitor Center Is Up 

There are no bed taxes in this part of the "unorganized borough." 

But the Chamber visitor center in Glennallen reported an increased visitor count of 9%.

And, Anchorage Airplane Traffic Is Up 

A recent Anchorage Daily News story reported...

"...the airport got 30,000 more summer travelers than it did the previous year..."