Regional Tourism Branding in the Bering Strait Region

1. Regional Tourism Branding in the Bering Strait Region Dru Garson Dept. of Commerce, State Tourism Office April 3,2006

2. What is Branding? Branding is a �promise�, a pledge of quality. It is the essence of a product, including why it is great, and how it is better than all competing products. It is an image. It is a combination of words and letters, symbols, and colors. www.quintcareers.com/jobseeker_marketing_glossary.html The process of building a favorable image for a product or company that differentiates it, in the minds of prospects and end users, from other competitors. www.garyeverhart.com/glossary_of_advertising_terms.htm "If the consumer has heard of us, we've done our job.� smartbizconnection.com/advertising_glossary_index.htm

3. What can branding do for you? It can differentiate your destination from your competitors Create a clear expectation about the visitors experience Can increase support from residents, community leaders and businesses Can increase visitation and $$$ from visitors

4. 5 Key Areas Resident Input Visitor Input Competitive analysis Marketing Living the brand

5. Resident Input Who are we? What do we offer? What are we known for? What do we want to happen/not happen as a result of tourism development? How do you capture resident input?

6. Visitors -Review existing research Visitors: What do they know about the destination? What did they expect? What did they do? How satisfied/unsatisfied are they with their experience?

7. Competitive Analysis Who is your competition? How do they promote themselves? Competition may be different for each market.

8. Marketing What messages are in the marketplace now? Is there consistency? What messages and images are the strongest? What is unique? What has emotional appeal for visitors? Develop the graphic representation - logo, slogan, etc.

9. Living the Brand How can you deliver on the promise made to visitors? Example: �The Friendly Island�

10. Examples of branding Ford - �Quality is Job 1� Coca-cola - �Have a Coke and a Smile� (1979) Carhartt - �Hard at Work since 1889� Federal Express - �When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight�

11. Examples of Tourism Branding Yahoo! Mat-Su - �Fun is at its Peak in the Valley!� Valdez - �Field tested - Alaskan aprroved� Seward.com - �Alaska starts here� Ketchikan - �Our lifestyle, your reward� Alaska (ATIA) - �Beyond your Dreams, Within your Reach�

12. Bering Strait Visitor Profile 51 visitors surveyed

13. Trip Purpose Vacation/pleasure 75% Visiting friends & relatives (VFR) 18% Business/pleasure 8%

14. Average Length of Stay Avg. length of stay in AK - 15.7 nights Avg. length of stay in B.S.- 5.7 nights

15. Accommodations Used in AK Hotel/motel 65% Private home 39% Camping (tent/cabin) 25% Bed and Breakfast 16% Lodge/resort 14% RV/vehicle 14% Boat/ferry 6% Other 8%

16. Overnight Destinations Far North 98% (Nome, Kotzebue, Gambell, Teller) Southcentral 65% (59% -Anch, 27% Kenai Peninsula) Interior 49% (35% - Fairbanks, 29% Denali area)

17. Participation in Tours & Activities Wildlife viewing (birds,bears) 57% Shopping 51% Cultural activities 47% Hiking/nature walk 41% Fishing 41% VFR 31% Camping 27% City tour 27%

18. Visitor Expenditures in AK and Bering Strait

19. Satisfaction Ratings Overall experience in Alaska Very satisfied 82% Satisfied 16% Neutral --- Dissatisfied 2% Very Dissatisfied ---

20. Why did you choose to visit the Bering Strait area? Visit friends/family 27% Remote location 25% Outdoors/scenic beauty 16% Gold Rush history 14% Bird-watching 11%

21. What did you enjoy most about visiting this area? Outdoors/scenic beauty 43% Remote location 36% People 29% Wildlife 29% Visit friends/family 24% Bird-watching 17%

22. What, if anything, could the region do to improve the visitor experience? Nothing 38% Information 23% Tours/activities 15% Food 8% Lodging 8%

23. Advance Time for Trip Decision & Booking How far in advance did you decide to come on this trip to Alaska? 9.4 months How far in advance did you book your major travel arrangements? 4.6 months

24. Internet Use Used Internet 63% Research only 25% Research and book 37%

25. Information Sources about Bering Strait - Alaska Friends/family 47% Prior experience 25% Guidebooks 22% (Milepost, Lonely Planet, Frommers) Convention & Visitors Bureau 14% AAA 10% Brochures 10% Magazine 10%

26. Previous and Future Alaska Travel Is this your first trip to Alaska? Yes - 45% No - 55%

27. Visitor Origin Western U.S. 43% (California, Colorado) Midwestern U.S. 16% (Minnesota, Indiana) Southern U.S. 12% (Arkansas, Florida) Eastern U.S. 12% (Pennsylvania, New York) International 18% (Germany, Australia, Canada)

28. Visitor Demographics Gender Male 58% Female 42% Age 35-44 11% 45-64 53% Over 65 28% Avg. age 53.5 years old Education H.S. Grad 8% College grad 67% Avg household income Mean income $90,700

29. Branding Bering Strait Tourism Who is your target market? Convey what is unique about Bering Strait What makes it special for residents? What makes it special for visitors?