Anchorage Businesses Prepare for Booming Visitor Season

Local businesses prepare for more than 1.6 million visitors that are expected to touch down in Alaska this summer.

Tools

By Kirsten Swann

Story Created: Apr 20, 2012 at 8:20 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 20, 2012 at 8:20 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE – Alaska’s tourism business is set to bounce back after several years of low numbers, and industry groups said they expect nearly 70,000 additional visitors this season.

The number means big things for local businesses.

Julie Saupe, President of Visit Anchorage, said roughly 50,000 of those people would travel through Anchorage, bringing nearly $50 million in economic impact. She said it’s money spent at hotels, restaurants, tour companies, gift shops, art galleries, vendors and an array of other businesses, spurring growth and further economic development.

“A lot of former small businesses really are moving up and becoming larger businesses, either because small businesses are combining and merging, or because of the growth that we’re seeing in the industry,” she said.

At AK Cruise Connect, Howard Shanks said he’s preparing to add two new buses to his fleet of limousines and tour vans, building his business off the steady demand of the past year. As pre-season bookings continue to come in, he said he might even consider adding a fourth vehicle to accommodate summer crowds.

With more than 1.6 million visitors expected to touch down in Alaska this summer, he said his buses as many as eight trips per day, shuttling tourists between Anchorage, Seward and Whittier.

But he said the growing visitor numbers are providing other business opportunities, too. This season, he said he’s expanding his business to include a baggage storage service for tourists on the go in Downtown Anchorage.

“We can take them right Downtown, store their bags Downtown, they’re in the heart of Downtown,” he said. “They can shop down there, have dinner and tour the whole of Downtown Anchorage, which is a benefit to all.”

While the visitors eventually leave, he said the economic effects remain.
 

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.