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Join us in Palmer for the 2010 AWRTA
Eco-tourism Conference
In the next few days, we will be sending out the agenda and brochure for the 2010 Eco-Tourism Conference. Featured speakers will include, Southeast Author Amy Gulick of Salmon in the Trees, renowned website marketing consultant Annie Ellicott of LeapUp Marketing Solutions. In addition, Deb Ajango of SafetyEd will offer another of her fantastic seminars providing invaluable information to businesses providing tours in the backcountry.
For more information, check out the last e-News, visit www. awrta.org, or call Hanna at the AWRTA office at (907)258-3171. |
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Adventure Green Alaska
Rewarding sustainability
In this age of green-washing, isn't it great that we can publicly recognize and reward tourism businesses that have made an exceptional commitment to sustainability? Adventure Green Alaska (AGA), Alaska's only certification program for sustainable tourism companies, is now reviewing a second round of applications. The newly certified businesses will be announced at the annual AWRTA conference in Palmer March 8-10. The next AGA application period will begin this spring.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with AGA, check out www.adventuregreenalaska.org or read about the program on Visit Wild Alaska. If you are interested in certified operators, just look for the businesses displaying the AGA logo on www.visitwildalaska.com.
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Red Gold!
Pebble mine movie to start Final days Session
The film, Red Gold (click for trailer) will be showing on Wednesday to start the final day of the conference. Red Gold, tells a story of remote Native American subsistence-users, Alaskan commercial fisherman, sport fisherman and residents that all share the commonality of salmon fishing at the core of their existence. For the first time, all user groups have come together in opposition of Pebble Mine development - the story at the heart of this film. Red Gold premiered at Telluride Mountainfilm and won the "Audience Award" and the "Festival Director Award," along with great enthusiasm and standing ovations for Telluride local filmmakers. | |
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AWRTA President's message
Greetings AWRTA members and friends, and welcome to the 3rd edition of the Visit Wild Alaska e-News. We are proud to announce the official "soft" launch of www.visitwildalaska.com, our new consumer faced website featuring AWRTA members. The process of getting a brand new website off the ground has been at various times exciting, humbling, frustrating and exhilarating--and now that it's here I am reminded of the effort put forth by so many people. We are truly blessed to have some very talented and committed folks who take a real interest in and ownership of our membershipo and organization. I'd like to take a moment to give thanks to those who have gone above and beyond including our current (and some past) members of the board, the National Wildlife Federation, and Tony Turrini, Kirk Hoessle of Alaska Wildland Adventures, and Annie Ellicot of LeapUp Marketing Solutions.
I would encourage all current, past, and prospective members to check out the new site soon. Our #1 goal is to give our members access (at a great value) to the growing number of visitors searching for sustainable and authentic travel experiences in our state and, in turn, provide those travelers access to the finest operators in Alaska. In the end the success of the ventures will rest upon the members enthusiasm and involvement in the site.
We'll be featuring the new website at our annual ecotourism conference in Palmer this year, which will be held Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 8-10, following the start of the Iditarod. Please plan on joining us in celebrating our wonderful industry.
Sincerely,
Kent John/Great Alaska Adventure Lodge | |
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Visit Wild Alaska launches!
www.visitwildalaska.com launches!
After a year-long collaboration led by the AWRTA board of directors, VisitWildAlaska.com launched today. The AWRTA board has been working with some of the nation's premier travel marketers and web designers to create a new, consumer-facing website which showcases AWRTA business members and will serve as an online traffic "magnet" for visitors searching for authentic, sustainable travel experiences in Alaska. Our goal with the launch of this new online Alaska travel directory is to create compelling value for member businesses competing in the ever-growing online search market as well as drive conversions and traffic to member websites.
In addition, AWRTA hopes to also use the site to attract new AWRTA memberships and increased marketing dollars longer term.
Along with Adventure Green Alaska, AdventureGreenAlaska.org, Alaska's innovative certification program, VisitWildAlaska.com will change the marketing landscape for AWRTA members. This "best in class" Alaska tourism website will feature AWRTA member travel and tourism products and will support Alaska's sustainable tourism practices.
VisitWildAlaska.com offers two levels of outstanding member benefits. AWRTA members can select between:
1. Basic Visit Wild Alaska listing, which is bundled into all AWRTA business memberships, or
2. Premium Visit Wild Alaska listing, which features increased numbers of images, extended business description copy, and expanded web links to members' websites in comparison to the basic listing.
Current AWRTA members will receive an email from the website host providing them with a username and password. Please log onto www.visitwildalaska.com, click on For AWRTA Members, and enter your username and password. This will allow you to use the content management system to actively manage the information pertaining to your business. To enjoy the full benefits of Visit Wild Alaska, each AWRTA business member should take the opportunity to refine the description of their business and products, add contact information, upload images, and create links to member websites.
The Visit Wild Alaska content management system is designed to be user-friendly, but any AWRTA members who need assistance or who forget their passwords should contact AWRTA director, Hanna Waterstrat, at 258-3171 or at hanna@awrta.org. |
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2 for one for conference attendees plus reduced rate!
Anyone who registers for the conference gets a second d atendee for no additional charge. In addition, prices were dropped again over last year to encourage all members to attend and network, learn valuable marketing information and find out how you can maximize your firms web presence for a modest investment when compared to other statewide marketing campaigns.
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Facebook fan pages
Two new pages unite members, travelers!
The two new facebook fan pages for AWRTA and Visit Wild Alaska have been picking up speed and are a big hit. Members and travelers are just beginning to explore the possibilities of social networking as a very affordable and accessible means of putting travelers and operators "in the same room."
To find out more, contact Hanna at the AWRTA office at (907) 258-3171, or type in "visit wild alaska" or "AWRTA" in your facebook search to find the pages. Visit Wild Alaska will soon be the place for Alaska bound travelers to find sustainable and authentic travel in our great state. Become a fan today and tell your guests to do the same! For member information or to join AWRTA visit www.awrta.org or call the office at (907) 258-3171 today.
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Not much time has passed since the last e-News- that lets you konw how much is going on at your AWRTA office! Once again, this e-News includes a great deal of important information, so please contact our office if we can be of any assistance whatsoever. If we have not received it already, it is critical that we get your business's infomation as soon as possible. We are here to help in this regard, as well as to help our member businesses use Visit Wild Alaska, the AGA certification program, and any of our other resources to make your business more successful and our industry more sustainable.
AWRTA office contact info:
2207 Spenard Road, Suite 202
Anchorage, AK 99503
TEL: (907) 258-3171 | FAX: (907) 258-3851
EMAIL: hanna@awrta.org
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