Welcome! Thanks for joining us!

1. Welcome! Thanks for joining us! December 3, 2004 – Nome Tourism Workshop

2. WORKSHOP STRUCTURE :: resources for communities :: • Introduction & Welcome • Opportunities & Challenges • Success Stories Panel • Case Studies Presentation • LUNCH • Breakout #1- Market Sectors • Full Group - Priorities • Breakout #2 - Action Plan • Full Group - Strategies for Success 8:30 – 10:00am 10:00 – 10:20 10:30 – 11:30 11:30 – 12:00pm 12:00 – 1:00 1:00 – 2:00 2:00 – 3:00 3:00 – 3:30 4:00 – 4:30

3. NOME TOURISM WORKSHOP Who’s sponsoring this workshop: • State Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development • US Economic Development Administration • Local Sponsors, including: Kawerak Corporation, Chamber of Commerce, • With assistance by Agnew::Beck Consulting

4. NOME TOURISM WORKSHOP What are we here to do? • Bring together people interested in tourism, to exchange ideas and information • Review trends, success stories, case studies • Develop a realistic action plan for tourism development in Nome and the Bering Straits region • Clarify responsibilities for implementing action plan • Focus on sectors with recognized potential including: native culture & art (marketing, Inuit co-op), port marketing, ecotourism (birding, wildlife viewing)

5. Project Area The Seward Peninsula & its Communities: • Nome • Teller • Council • White Mountain

6. STARTING POINTS :: resources for communities :: • Types of Visitors • Measuring Tourism Benefits • TourismStrategies

7. TYPES OF VISITORS ‘Tourist’ means: Any and all categories of visitors from out of town • Travel Style – package, independent, combination • Group Size – large group, small group, individual • Origin – in region, in-state, out-of-state, international • Activity – passive, “soft,” wild adventure; view vs. hunt/fish • Season, Length of Visit • Trip Purpose – pleasure, business, friends/relatives; • Access Mode – air, cruise boat

8. MEASURING TOURISM BENEFITS Old School = Count the number of tourists More Helpful To Assess: • Spending per visitor • Length of stay - “stickiness” • Who benefits? • Adverse impacts, if any, on community life, on environment • Volatility - sustainability of benefits Tourism by itself, is rarely sufficient for community economic health

9. CATAGORIES OF TOURISM STRATEGIES • Attractions & EventsUnique places, culture, food, language, gifts, stories, guides… • Accommodations • Access & InfrastructureRoads, sidewalks, port, maintenance.. • MarketingPromotional events, familiarization tours, marketing partnerships… • PeopleAttitudes; training, technical support • PartnershipsNPS, travel companies, Native Corporations… • Aesthetics Matter: what is good for visitors can make your town more livable

10. OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES :: resources for communities :: • Challenges to Tourism Growth • Strengths and Opportunities

11. CHALLENGES • Off the main flow of Alaska travel • Relatively low market profile • Short summer season • High cost to visit • Limited regional marketing program

12. OPPORTUNITIES • Gold mining history, cultural traditions • International name recognition • Road system; beautiful landscapes • Good air access • Birdlife • Innovative, interesting residents

13. CASE STUDIES :: resources for communities :: • Texas Bird Trail • Talkeetna Tourism Development • Bristol Bay Branding & Product Development • Copper River Stories • Prince William Sound Port Marketing

14. Texas Bird Trail • Project Goal: Create easily-accessible travel opportunities through habitat retention, publicity and private-public partnerships

15. Texas Bird Trail • Formation of five hugely popular self-guided birding tours along Texas highways – ‘nature tourism development’ • Benefits: • Translates dispersed, amorphous attractions into a story, a path • Adds value to visitor experience • Simplifies travel logistics • Takes advantage of already established infrastructure • Guides visitors to preferred destinations, spreads benefits • Outcome – significant increase in number of visitors, visitor spending

16. Talkeetna Tourism Development • Project Goal: Protect & Improve what makes downtown attractive to residents and visitors

17. Talkeetna Tourism Development • Talkeetna, like thousands of towns around Alaska and America, is investing to make the town itself an attraction • Actions to Improve & Retain Special Qualities: • Improved parking, safety and comfort • Zoning code – controls on building height, size, setback, location • Riverfront park – control campingadd restrooms, viewpoints, trails • Entrepreneurial approach: parking revenues cover management costs

18. Bristol Bay Branding • Project Goal: Create a clear market identity for a region; integrate sales of tours, fish, arts & crafts

19. Bristol Bay Branding • Bristol Bay has great tourism potential, many fishing and hunting lodges, but locals receive few benefits from tourism • Project Goals & Outcomes: • Create a clear “brand” for a region (similar to approach used in Monte Verde Cloud Forest Preserve) • Emphasize environmental stewardship – river patrol, land trust • Spread tourism benefits to area villages – Aleknagik, Dillingham, Clarks Point, Ekwok, New Stuyahok, Koliganek • Support, increase odds of success of individual businesses

20. Bristol Bay Product Development • Project Goal: Assess and develop trip itineraries to encourage visitation to Bristol Bay villages

21. Bristol Bay Product Development

22. Bristol Bay Product Development • Familiarization trip to 3 wilderness areas, 4 villages and the regional hub of Bristol Bay with experienced Alaska tour guide operators • Trip Purpose: • Overview of natural and cultural richness of the area • Establish feasible itinerary, emphasizing ‘eco-tourism’ • Encourage entrepreneurship, prioritize use of local businesses and services • Compare existing services with probable market demands, defer to local preferences for development • Establish relationships, partnerships between local operators and those from outside the area

23. Copper River Stories • Project Goal:highlight history of the Copper River and the creative resources of its people

24. Copper River Stories • A week-long raft trip from Chitna to Cordova, gathering teacher and student artists and writers from the area • Expedition Along the Copper River Illustrated: • Skills and assets of local residents • Area’s heritage and natural character • Region-wide community-building • Teaching & learning opportunities

25. PWS Port Marketing • Project Goal: Increase thefrequency, number & length of stay of cruise ship visits to Nome

26. PWS Port Marketing • Tourism Report cruise issues: port infrastructure, air access, competition • Lessons from Valdez • Takes patience: talk with cruise lines; build relationships with companies, with the Northwest Cruise Association • Good Logistics: easy, predictable, comfortable, on-route • Visitor Experience: unique attractions, something different (“what is the one shining star?”); welcoming community • Cruise Line Economic Benefit: 70% of passengers on shore excursions (expect a markup of 30-40%) • Diverse Offerings: provide a range of activities at different costs; excursion capacities to match volume of passengers • Marketing: give reasons for visitors to want to go Nome

27. CREATING AN ACTION PLAN :: resources for communities :: • Building from Past Work • Structure to Build an Action Plan • Breakout Session #1: Market Groups • Full Group: Getting Organized for Action • Reports from Market Groups • Set Priorities/Categories for Action Groups • Breakout Session #2: Action Groups • Full Group: Action Groups Report Back • Next Steps: Setting Stage for Success

28. Building From Past Work Nome Area Tourism Demand, Potential & Infrastructure Study – Oct 03 • Background on market trends, opportunities • Preliminary action plan by market sector • Small group, independents - ecotourism, cultural tours • Birders • Special Events- Iditarod • Air Package Tours • Hunting-Fishing • Business Travel • Winter Adventure • Expedition Cruise (small boat “adventure” cruise) • Visiting Friends and Relatives Needs review, refinement, implementation

29. MARKET DISCUSSION GROUPS :: resources for communities :: • Set Breakout Group Topics • List Questions to Answer

30. Breakout Categories: Market Segments • Cruise (small boat “adventure” cruise) • “Ecotourism” – see birds; hike, boat, climb, bike, view wildlife; includes small group tours, independents • Culture and History • Other – e.g., air package tours, events?

31. Breakout Questions to Answer • Market: Who is coming today? How much local benefit? • Issues & Barriers: What obstacles are preventing growth, limiting local benefits? • Actions: what actions are most important to increase visitation, to increase local benefits?

32. GETTING ORGANIZED FOR ACTION :: resources for communities :: • Market groups report to full group • Full group discussion: priorities for action/topics for working groups

33. PRIORITIES/ACTION GROUP TOPICS • What are the highest priorities for action? • What categories for working groups? • By market type (cruise, air, etc)? • By geographic area (in town, out of town)? • By type of strategy (attractions, access, marketing, etc.)? • Membership of working groups?

34. PRIORITIES/ACTION GROUP TOPICS? • Port, Air Access, Cruise? • In-Town Attractions and Events • Out of Town Attractions, Events (ecotourism, village tours, road) • Marketing

35. ACTION GROUPS DISCUSSION :: resources for communities :: • Create an Action Plan - for each Priority: • Objective • Action Plan details: What, When, Who, How? • Report Back

36. GROUP DISCUSSION :: resources for communities :: Strategies for Success • Realistic Expectations • Near-Term Success • Clear Leadership • Partnership/Support • Monitor and Evaluate Progress

37. QUESTIONS? CONCLUSIONS? :: resources for communities ::